UK upper house concludes further examination of Employment Rights Bill

The bill aims at updating and enhancing existing employment rights, making provision regarding pay and conditions in particular sectors, as well as undertaking reforms related to trade union matters and industrial action.

Major topics of the bill include zero hours contracts, fire and rehire, flexible working, unfair dismissal, an official release said.

There were five divisions (votes) on proposed changes to the bill. Members agreed to two amendments on issues regarding giving new union members the choice whether or not to contribtue to a trade union's political fund and reinstating the 50-per cent voting threshold for trade union industrial action, and the democratic risk for lowering that percentage.

A third vote, on removing a clause regarding trade union supervision of picket lines, was a tied result, and so under the procedures of the House, the change was not made.

Two further amendments, on the inclusion of political expenditure in trade union annual returns and government powers to bring proceedings to employment tribunal on a worker's behalf, were voted on but disagreed to by members.

The Third reading, a chance for members to make sure the eventual law is effective, workable and without loopholes, is scheduled for September 3.

“The House of Lords has listened to our concerns, putting forward positive, practical and pragmatic amendments to the Employment Rights Bill which would help to protect the availability of valuable, local, part-time and entry level jobs up and down the country,” Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium (BRC), said.

“To ignore these suggested changes when the bill returns to the [House of] Commons would undermine the government’s own plans to get Britain working again as fewer flexible, part-time jobs will be available,” she said.

“Even with these amendments accepted, retailers remain worried about the consequences for jobs from other areas of the bill. The industry has lost 350,000 jobs over the past ten years, and current proposals around guaranteed hours in particular could threaten the availability of local flexible part-time jobs, which support so many people from so many backgrounds into work,” she added, calling for a much more strategic dialogue between employers, unions and the government, to collectively find solutions that will work for everyone.

ALCHEMPro News Desk (DS)