Tebbit's Bill
Page 7
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
TRADES UNIONS will only be immune from civil action in disputes between workers and their own employer, if the Government's Employment Bill becomes law. It passed its second reading this week..
The Bill, which is the first since Norman Tebbit succeeded James Prior as Employment Secretary, also excludes disputes relating to matters outside the United Kingdom, unless those taking action in the UK are likely to be affected directly by the outcome of the dispute.
It seeks to protect smaller unions from excessive damages claims by limiting the sum payable by a union with fewer than 5,000 members to £10,000 and with between 5,000 and 25,000 members to £50,000.
The Bill seeks to enable the Government to compensate some of those dismissed from closed shops under legislation drafted by the last Labour government, and to increase the protection for non-union employees working in a closed shop.
It will promote regular reviews of existing closed shops by secret ballots of affected employees, and will outlaw union labour only requirements in the awarding and making of contracts.