Trade Union Freedom Bill
Encyclopedia
The Trade Union Freedom Bill is a proposal by the United Kingdom
Trades Union Congress
for legislation
which would give greater freedom to unions and their members to collectively bargain and take action to support their interests. It was proposed in 2006, the centenary of the Trade Disputes Act 1906
, the founding statute by which unions taking strike action are not liable to employers for the lost profits of business, so long as the action is taken "in contemplation or furtherance of a trade dispute."
The proposed Bill has received widespread support from trade unions and some academics.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Trades Union Congress
Trades Union Congress
The Trades Union Congress is a national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions in the United Kingdom, representing the majority of trade unions...
for legislation
Legislation
Legislation is law which has been promulgated by a legislature or other governing body, or the process of making it...
which would give greater freedom to unions and their members to collectively bargain and take action to support their interests. It was proposed in 2006, the centenary of the Trade Disputes Act 1906
Trade Disputes Act 1906
The Trade Disputes Act 1906 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed under the Liberal government of Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman...
, the founding statute by which unions taking strike action are not liable to employers for the lost profits of business, so long as the action is taken "in contemplation or furtherance of a trade dispute."
Overview
The core idea behind the proposed Bill is to maximise the freedom of workers for participating in industrial action as a last resort, and not be liable to any detrimental response by an employer for doing so or having done so. A summary of the proposals in the Bill are laid out at the TUC's website. An overview is stated to be,- Improved protection from dismissal and more effective remedies for workers taking part in official industrial action;
- Simplification of the complex regulations on notices and ballots which restrict the ability of unions to organise industrial action where a clear majority of members have voted in support; and
- Modernisation of what constitutes a trade dispute, enabling limited forms of supportive action, thereby ensuring that UK industrial action laws reflect changes in UK labour market, including increased contracting out and enabling unions to respond where employers take steps to outsource work during the course of a dispute with a view to breaking a strike.
The proposed Bill has received widespread support from trade unions and some academics.
See also
- UK labour law
- Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992The Trade Union and Labour Relations Act 1992 is a UK Act of Parliament which regulates British labour law. The Act applies in full in England and Wales and in Scotland, and partially in Northern Ireland....
- Employee Free Choice ActEmployee Free Choice ActThe Employee Free Choice Act was a legislative bill that was introduced into both chambers of the U.S. Congress on March 10, 2009. The bill's purpose was to,...
, a proposed US law