www.tuc.org.uk

Where next?

Hannah ReedSenior Employment Rights

Officer

www.tuc.org.uk

• Campaigning to stop attacks on worker rights

• Effective workplace organisation

• Pressing for change

www.tuc.org.uk

Government’s employment rights agenda

• Making it easier for employers to sack people

• Making it harder for workers to enforce their rights

• Weakening restructuring rights

www.tuc.org.uk

Weaker dismissal rights

• Extending qualifying period for unfair dismissal from 12 months to 2 years– More than 3 million people lose out– Young and BME workers

particularly affected• Reduced compensatory awards in

UD claims• Disadvantage part time / low paid

employees; older workers

www.tuc.org.uk

Fees for ET users: limiting access to justice

Type of claim Issue claim

Hearing fee

Total

Level 1: NMW, Wages Act, holiday pay, time off rights

£160 £230 £390

Level 2: unfair dismissal; discrimination; equal pay

£250 £950 £1200

www.tuc.org.uk

Priced out of justice: Fees for ETs

• Remission scheme limited - many workers on NMW wages will have to pay fees

• For some ET fees = significant proportion / exceed the value of their claim

* Seta Findings 2008; ** ET & EAT Stats 2011-12

Type of claim Median award

Total fee if claim goes to hearing

Wages Act £850* £390

Unfair dismissal £4,560** £1,200

Race discrimination £5,256**

8% success rate

£1,200

www.tuc.org.uk

Weaker collective redundancy rights

• Shorter consultation periods: 45 days where 100+ employees at risk

• Excluding fixed term contract staff

www.tuc.org.uk

TUPE

• Some service sector workers may lose TUPE rights– Low paid women / BME workers in

cleaning and catering sectors• Increased uncertainty and increased job

insecurity• Increased flexibility for employers to vary

pay and conditions after a transfer– Erosion of pay and conditions– Increased inequality

www.tuc.org.uk

Stop employee wrongsTUC Campaign

http://stopemploymentwrongs.org

www.tuc.org.uk

Effective workplace organisation

www.tuc.org.uk

Settlement agreements

• Encouraging employers to use the offer a settlement agreement to end the employment relationship

• Without need for disciplinary procedure

www.tuc.org.uk

Negotiated settlements?

www.tuc.org.uk

Pressing for change

www.tuc.org.uk

Pressing for change

• Fair Pay

• Protecting outsourced workers

• Reducing casualisation

• Building strong unions