[IER] TUC Fringe meetings

[Carolyn Jones]

I am pleased to provide information about two IER fringe meetings at TUC
Congress in Brighton next week. 

Fringe 1: Trade Union Freedoms; Where Next? Monday 8th September, 5.40pm
Meeting Room 1 Hall B West, Brighton Centre

Against the Backdrop of recent hostile decisions in the European Court of
Justice, what national and international steps can unions take to promote
fair rights and free unions?

Chaired by John Hendy, QC, Chair, IER 

*	Speakers include: 

1.	Tony Benn, Vice President, United Campaign 
2.	Christine Blower, Acting Gen Sec NUT 
3.	Brian Caton, Gen Sec POA, 
4.	Bob Crow, Gen Sec RMT and United Campaign Chair 
5.	Keith Ewing, President IER 
6.	Derek Simpson, Joint Gen Sec UNITE 
7.	Sarah Veale, TUC 
8.	Tony Woodley, Joint Gen Sec UNITE 

In 1997 we were told things can only get better. Nearly 10 years later, Gate
Gourmet shone a spotlight on the grotesque restrictions still faced by UK
unions. Subsequent calls for a Trade Union Rights and Freedoms Bill struck a
popular chord. Yet despite the "mild, modest and moderate" aims of the Bill,
it was denied a parliamentary hearing - not once but twice!

So where next for union freedoms? Warwick 2 delivered little progress other
than promises of further discussion. At European level, recent decisions of
the European Court of Justice in the Viking, Laval, Ruffert and Luxembourg
cases represent the most vicious attacks on trade unions since the Taff Vale
judgment of 1901.

The Employment Bill, currently going through Parliament, could be amended if
the political will existed. But now we also need an effective and
coordinated international response to the ECJ assault on trade union rights
and collective bargaining. Speakers at the fringe will consider the
political, legal and industrial options available to those wanting to
protect trade union freedoms, promote workplace fairness and project a new
world order on a discredited and increasingly failing economic system.
Come to the fringe. Join in the debate. Let your voice be heard.

Refreshments Provided Sponsored by: Thompsons
<http://www.thompsons.law.co.uk/>  Solicitors 

Fringe 2: Equal Pay, Privatisation and Procurement. Wednesday 10th
September, 1.00pm Meeting Room 4, 3rd Floor Brighton Centre

*	Speakers confirmed include: 

1.	Margie Jaffe, Unison 
2.	Kamaljeet Jandu, GMB 
3.	Sanjiv Sachdev, Kingston University and author of IER publication,
The Impact of Contracting Out on Employment Relations in Public Services
(2005) 

The link between privatisation and pay inequality is clear from a cursory
glance at the leading equal pay cases. Market testing and CCT exercises tend
to further weaken women's disadvantaged position in the labour market,
entrench pay inequality and create legal hurdles for women seeking to bring
equal pay claims. So what can be done about it? Three expert speakers will
address the problems and the possible solutions.

 

Further details and fringe flyers are available to download from our website
at http://www.ier.org.uk/node/279

 

Best wishes

Carolyn

 

 

 

 

Carolyn Jones

Director 

Institute of Employment Rights

The People's Centre

50-54 Mount Pleasant

Liverpool, L3 5SD

p 0151 702 6925

f 0151 702 6935

m 07941 076245

www.ier.org.uk

 

Visit our website where you can buy publications, book seminar places and
download IER resources

 

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/pipermail/ier-elist/attachments/20080904/9206dccb/attachment.html>