The Trade Union Bill 

Key Proposals:  

• Increase ballot thresholds for lawfully taking industrial action

 • Time limits for strike mandates

 • Allowing Employers to hire agency workers during strike action

 • Union supervision of picketing

 • Information to the Certification Officer about industrial action

 • The requirement of public sector employers to publish information on the facility

time of trade union representatives

Current status of the Trade Union Bill:

The Bill passed its first reading and is now at Committee stage

Ballot Thresholds for taking industrial action-

The Government’s proposals are to:

•   Require a 50% turnout from those entitled to vote in the ballot

•   In ‘important’ public services a 40% majority of those voting is required for industrial action to lawfully take place

Issues arising

• Under these proposals a worker abstaining is considered to be voting ‘no’ to taking industrial action

• The Government refuses to compromise by allowing electronic balloting

• Teachers will be considered to be providing ‘important’ public services and therefore subject to the higher turnout requirement 

• A two tier workforce? It will be more difficult for teachers to exercise their right to take industrial action. This may be contrary to the UK’s treaty obligations under the UN’s ILO Convention and European Social Chapter, which requires public sector workers to be given the same political and civil rights as other workers

• What will the impact be on a profession mostly made up of women? The Government has not carried out an equality impact assessment yet. This is despite the fact that the Bill is going through Parliament

Time limits for strike mandates

• Regardless of whether strike action is continuous or discontinuous trade unions will need to re-ballot members after four months

Issues arising: • This will be a considerable burden on trade unions who

have balloted to take industrial action over the course of the year, and no attempt has been made by the employer to resolve the issues or if talks break down

Allowing employers to hire agency workers to replace workers taking industrial action-

Current legislation:  • Under the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment

Business Regulations 2003 it is unlawful for an employment agency to supply agency workers to cover the work of those taking industrial action. This provision has been on the statute books since 1973.

The Government’s Proposals: • Regulation 7 of the Employment Agencies Regulations will be

amended to allow employers to hire agency workers to cover the work of workers taking industrial action

Issues arising: • Will supply teachers be required to cross a picket line? • Will those refusing to cross a picket line suffer victimisation by agencies refusing to

offer them any work in the future or schools unwilling to hire them? There is no mention of this issue in the Bill or amended Regulations

• The proposal may cause distrust between an employer and workers when they

should be trying to resolve a workplace dispute. It is divisive and undermines good industrial relations.

• Is it workable? Are there enough qualified supply teachers to cover the work of those

teachers taking industrial action? • Do employment agencies want to get dragged into an industrial dispute by providing

workers during a strike? Large employment agencies across the European Union have signed agreements with trade unions not to supply workers during industrial action. There is a reason for this, to promote good industrial relations.

Union supervision of picketing-  

 Current legislation: 

• Code of Practice for workers on a picket line, for example, 6 employees on a picket line at any given time.

 • Civil and criminal laws to protect non-striking staff and employers from intimidation. • The Government’s proposals are: • Require  a  trade  union  official  to  act  as  a  picket  supervisor.  He/she must  be  clearly  identifiable  by 

wearing an arm band.

• The picket supervisor must carry a letter of authorisation. • The police or any third party can ‘reasonably’ ask to see the letter of authorisation. • 14  days  prior  to  the  picket  the  employer  must  be  informed  of  the  number  and  identity  of  those 

attending the picket, and whether they will be using banners and loud hailers. • Trade unions will be required to disclose their plans for the use of social media in relation to industrial 

action 

Penalties: • Failure to comply with the above may result in a fine up to £20,000 (enforced by the Certification 

Officer) against the trade union involved in the industrial action, or an employer applying for a High Court Injunction to stop a trade union taking industrial action.  

Issues arising: 

• Will the Government protect the picket supervisor or members identified as attending the picket line from victimisation or blacklisting? The Government has not addressed this issue at all.

• What if there is a technical breach of the provisions? Will the union still have to pay up to a fine of £20,000 or get involved in expensive injunctive relief litigation against an employer who has much deeper pockets?

• The provisions have been widely criticised as potentially breaching workers’ rights to the freedom of assembly and freedom of association under the European Convention on Human Rights. The Conservative MP, David Davies, described the provisions as ‘something from Franco’s Spain’  

• Will the police wish to get dragged into an industrial dispute? Is it a good use of police resources to enforce technical breaches such as a failure to produce a letter of authorisation?

• Is there a risk of stirring up trouble or antagonising people if the police or anyone else demands to see the letter of authorisation? What if it’s a third party trying to antagonise the picket line?

Information to the Certification Officer about industrial action-  

 

Current legislation:  • The Certification Officer is the regulator for trade unions and employer groups. • The Government’s proposals-  • Trade unions will need to report on industrial action it has taken, details of ballots, 

campaigns using social media and any injunctions taken against it.  • Ensure trade union officers are trained on the new provisions • The Certification Officer will have powers to increase the levy it charges to trade unions for 

funding its work • Impose fines on trade unions for failing to comply with the provisions of the Bill 

Issues arising:

 • This will result in a significant financial and administrative burden

for trade unions having to comply with the new provisions

• Why is the Government seeking to tangle trade unions in red tape? The information required to be reported will already be in the public domain, such as court cases/injunctions or campaigns on social media.

• The Certification Officer is likely to significantly raise the levy to cover all the extra duties/powers it now has under the Bill. The Government expects trade unions to foot the bill.

 

The requirement of public sector employers to publish information on the facility time of trade union representatives

The Government’s proposals-

• Public sector employers, including employers who carry out public functions such as academy schools, will be required to publish details about:

• how many employees are on facility time • how much time is spent on facility time • the total pay bill for those on facility time • what duties are undertaken during facility time • The facilities provided by a public sector employer for those on facility time

Issues arising: 

• The Government reserves the power to introduce secondary legislation requiring public sector employers to amend the pay bill, time and facilities provided to for those on facility time.

• • This is designed to try and turn public opinion against trade unions, ‘why is the tax

payer paying for trade unions to carry out their work’.• • Who will this benefit? If facility time is reduced/removed who will represent

employees at disciplinary and grievance hearings? Who will negotiate with the employer in relation to collective bargaining matters?

• • The provisions are likely to erode the rights of employees to trade union

representation. • • Employers may not welcome these provisions as it will make managing industrial

relations more difficult. • • Employers may use this as an opportunity to renegotiate facility time for trade union

activities, as well as duties.