The Employment Rights Bill was supposed to scrap draconian rules forcing 50% of workers to vote for a strike ballot to be valid – but the move has been quietly delayed
Dozens of senior trade unionists have expressed “dismay” at the government delaying the repeal of Tory union-bashing laws.
The Employment Rights Bill, which currently passing through its final stages in the House of Lords, was supposed to scrap draconian rules forcing 50% of workers to vote for a strike ballot to be valid.
But the government has quietly delayed the repeal until a review can be conducted into introducing electronic balloting.
In a statement, the leaders of the Unison, the National Education Union (NEU), the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), the University and College Union (UCU) – as well as dozens of senior members – demanded to know how long it would take.
“These restrictions are an arbitrary and grossly undemocratic curb on workers’ rights,” they wrote.
“MPs don’t have to hit a turnout threshold to be elected. Why should trade unionists have to surmount such obstacles?
“It is pro-boss legislation, vindictively implemented by the Conservatives nearly a decade ago. It has made the battle for fairness at work much harder.”
The statement welcomes the positive changes in the Employment Rights Bill, but calls on MPs to demand the “immediate removal of turnout thresholds”
FBU general secretary Steve Wright said: “It’s outrageous that the government has delayed the repeal of a law that severely limits the rights of workers to stand up for their living standards and the services they run.
” Labour was elected on a clear pledge to swiftly scrap this pernicious and undemocratic legislation introduced by the Tories.
“There is no excuse whatsoever for postponing the delivery of that plan.
” Keir Starmer must give a firm assurance that all parts of the 2016 Trade Union Act will be immediately repealed when the Employment Rights Bill becomes law.
“A failure to do so will spark fears that Starmer intends to use Tory anti-union laws against workers going on strike over the government’s planned cuts.
“The Fire Brigades Union will fiercely oppose any attempts to retain this Tory legislation and use it against working people.”
Daniel Kebede, the General Secretary of the NEU, said: “The NEU welcomes the strides forward in the Employment Rights Bill but UK workers remain shackled by some of the most restrictive trade union legislation in Europe.
“Now is not the time for dither and delay. The Government should repeal the Conservative’s anti-union legislation at the earliest opportunity”
The statement was signed by Mr Wright, Daniel Kebede, the NEU’s General Secretary, Jo Grady, General Secretary of the UCU, Sarah Woolley, General Secretary of the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union and Gawain Little, General Secretary of the the General Federation of Trade Unions.
It was also signed by the National Executive Committees of Unison, the NEU, the UCU and the FBU.
Statement in full
As trade unionists committed to justice at work, we are dismayed that the latest version of the government’s Employment Rights Bill has again delayed the removal of turnout thresholds for strike ballots. These restrictions are an arbitrary and grossly undemocratic curb on workers’ rights. MPs don’t have to hit a turnout threshold to be elected. Why should trade unionists have to surmount such obstacles? It is pro-boss legislation, vindictively implemented by the Conservatives nearly a decade ago. It has made the battle for fairness at work much harder. Soon after the general election, Labour confirmed its promise to ditch the 2016 act that imposes thresholds withing 100 days of taking office. Now we learn that according to the Trades Union Congress, “The government will delay the repeal of the Tory measure that requires a 50 percent turnout for a strike law to be valid until after it has introduced electronic balloting.” How long will that take? We support electronic balloting and other measures to widen participation and engagement. But the thresholds should go now. We welcome the positive changes in the Employment Rights Bill, but we urge MPs to demand the immediate removal of turnout thresholds. And we call on all unions to discuss action to win such change. A chance to discuss this issue for trade unionists and others comes at the Summit of Resistance in London on 29 March. We hope that the vital question of unshackling the unions and workers fighting for justice will be an important part of this meeting.
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Signed by
Daniel Kebede, NEU General Secretary
Steve Wright, FBU General Secretary
Jo Grady, UCU General Secretary
Sarah Woolley, BFAWU General Secretary
Gawain Little, GTFU General Secretary
Ian Murray, FBU President
Sarah Kilpatrick, NEU President Ed Harlow, NEU Vice President
Steve North, UNISON President (personal capacity)
Julia Mwaluke, UNISON Vice President
Adam Taylor, FBU Acting Vice President
Jess Edwards, NEU NEC Jenny Cooper, NEU NEC Mehreen Begg, NEU NEC Chris Denson, NEU NEC Lucy Cox, NEU NEC Leigh Seedhouse, NEU NEC Jon Reddiford, NEU NEC Debs Gwynn, NEU NEC Kate Taylor, NEU NEC
Louise Regan, NEU NEC
Helen Louise Bellamy, NEU NEC
Louise Lewis, NEU NEC
Carly Slingsby, NEU NEC
Marian Mayer, UCU NEC Marion Hersh, UCU NEC Sean Wallis, UCU NEC Sean Vernell, UCU NEC Regi Pilling, UCU NEC Saira Weiner, UCU NEC Richard McEwan, UCU NEC Carlo Morelli, UCU NEC Matt Perry, UCU NEC Peter Evans, UCU NEC Mark Abel, UCU NEC
Grant Buttars, UCU NEC
Lucy Burke, UCU NEC
Cecilia Wee, UCU NEC
Aisling O’Beirn, UCU NEC
Liz Wheatley, UNISON NEC Daniele Vipond, UNISON NEC Jordan Rivera, UNISON NEC Libby Nolan, UNISON NEC Kevin Corran, UNISON NEC Julie Forgan, UNISON NEC Becky Brookman, UNISON NEC Caroline Johnson, UNISON NEC
Lorna Hood, UNISON NEC
Sara Evans, UNISON NEC
Tony Wilson, UNISON NEC
Andrea Egan, UNISON NEC
Pete Smith, FBU NEC
Val Hampshire, FBU NEC
Jim Quinn, FBU NEC
Andrew Fox-Hewitt, FBU NEC
Chris Wycherley, FBU NEC
Andrew Scattergood, FBU NEC
David Shek, FBU NEC
Colin Brown, FBU NEC
Vijay Menezes-Jackson, PCS NEC and Scottish EC Steve West, PCS Scottish EC
Chris Goulart Mc Nerney, PCS Scottish EC; PCS Energy & Climate Group President
