[IER] Tories ratchet up pressure on workers

Fri Jan 27 17:09:26 GMT 2017

IER News Brief 27/01/17

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news brief

Friday 27th January 2017

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This week the Tories have ratcheted up pressure on workers with more news on the Trade Union Act, by publishing an industrial strategy that makes no mention of trade unions, and by supporting a new anti-trade union bill.

50 backbenchers signed a letter <http://ier.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3&id=1cdd98009b&e=71131c031b>  in support of MP Chris Philp's Industrial Action (Protection of Critical National Services) Bill, which called for transport unions to wait for the nod of the Supreme Court before they could take industrial action. The MP argued this proposal would balance workers' rights with "the right to get to work". The private members' bill was quickly defeated by Labour when it was heard, but provides an insight into the ideology followed by many Conservative backbenchers.

Elsewhere, the government introduced its new industrial strategy <http://ier.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3&id=dbf67a166f&e=71131c031b> , which mentions businesses hundreds of times but does not include one instance of the words 'trade union'.

The government also confirmed that new thresholds for industrial action as part of the Trade Union Act will come into effect on March 01 2017 <http://ier.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3&id=1faa12574a&e=71131c031b> . This comes just a week after the Welsh Assembly launched a new Bill to repeal sections of the Act that pertain to Welsh public services.

In addition, unions responded to a new consultation on employment tribunal reform <http://ier.us12.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3&id=70e7e0708d&e=71131c031b> , criticising government plans for imposing unecessary red tape on the system without addressing major barriers to access to justice.

Many thanks to the delegates who attended our Liverpool Access to Justice conference this Tuesday. We will be publishing all papers and presentations for free download early next week.

If you missed out on the conference, there are still seats available at our Access to Justice London conference on 08 February <http://ier.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3&id=d9c94d7921&e=71131c031b> .

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 <http://ier.us12.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=f121e48a8bb6d3101590c12d3&id=5b6e34aa80&e=71131c031b> > click here to read full story

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