Trade Union Rights

Back to all Motions

Conference
2010 National Delegate Conference
Date
16 February 2010
Decision
Carried

Conference notes that in 1980 at the time of the last Conservative Government there were 13 million union members in the UK and collective bargaining or Wages Councils orders covered 82% of the labour force.

In 2010 trade union membership is about six million workers and collective bargaining covers 35% of the labour force. The Conservatives passed seven main pieces of legislation in 18 years, slicing away at trade union rights and freedoms, many in breach of International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions.

Conference has previously noted the many gains in individual employment rights since 1997 but little in the way of improvement in collective legal rights, aside from the statutory recognition procedure. That is why Conference has supported the Trade Union Freedom Bill in the past and will do so in the future.

Despite UNISON successes in disputes in Leeds and North Devon, amongst others, Conference is alarmed at the ease at which employers have recently obtained injunctions to prevent industrial action in disputes at Metrobus in London and British Airways and how the Royal Mail recruited agency workers to assist their operation. However, Conference notes that public service unions in Turkey won an important case at the European Court of Human Rights, Demir and Baykara v Turkey, which established the right to bargain collectively in accordance with ILO conventions was now protected by article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Conference therefore calls on the National Executive Council to:

1)Prepare for a defence of trade union rights as an important human right as per the Turkish case;

2)Promote the value of collective bargaining in ensuring fairness, reducing inequality and tackling poverty;

3)Continue to support the Trade Union Freedom Bill;

4)Continue to work with the Institute of Employment Rights and the United Campaign to Repeal the Anti-trade union laws.