What space for unions on the floor of rights? Trade unions and the enforcement of statutory individual employment rights

Industrial Law Journal

Volumn 35, Issue 2, 2006, Pages 140-160

  Colling, Trevor ^a  

^a NONE

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[No Author keywords available]

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EID: 33745339104     PISSN: 03059332     EISSN: 14643669     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1093/indlaw/dwl011     Document Type: Article

References (81)

1. P. Fairbrother, Trade Uunions at the Crossroads (London: Mansell, 2000).
2. E. Heery, J. Kelly and J. Waddington, 'Union Revitalization in Britain' (2003) 9 European Journal of Industrial Relations 79.
3. W. McCarthy 'The Rise and Fall of Collective Laissez-Faire' in W. McCarthy (ed), Legal Intervention in Industrial Relations: Gains and Losses (Oxford: Blackwell, 1992)
4. Lord Wedderburn 'Collective Bargaining or Legal Enactment? The 1999 Act and Union Recognition' (2000) 29 ILJ 1.
5. W. Brown, S. Deakin, D. Nash and S. Oxenbridge 'The Employment Contract: From Collective Procedures to Individual Rights' (2000) 38 British Journal of Industrial Relations 612.
6. J. Clark and Lord Wedderburn 'Juridification: A Universal Trend? The British Experience of Labour Law' in G. Teubner (ed), Juridification of Social Spheres (European Union Institute: Florence, 1986)
7. W. McCarthy, op cit (2000).
8. W. McCarthy 'In the Beginning were Beatrice and Sydney: The Five Ages of Industrial Relations Research'. Plenary paper to BUIRA's 50th Annual Conference, University of Warwick (July 2000) p 2.
9. S. Evans, J. Goodman and L. Hargreaves, 'Unfair Dismissal Law and Changes in the Role of Trade Unions and Employers' Associations' (1985) 14 ILJ 91.
10. Ibid at 107.
11. T. Palmer, H. Grainger and G. Fitzner, Trade Union Membership 2003 (London: DTI, 2004) p 33.
12. B. Kersley, C. Alpin, J. Forth, A. Bryson, H. Bewley, G. Dix and S. Oxenbridge, Inside the Workplace: First Findings from the 2004 Workplace Employment Relations Survey (London: DTI, 2005) p 19.
13. W. Brown et al, op cit (2000).
14. J. MacMillan (1999: 34), 'Employment Tribunals: Philosophies and Practicalities' (1999) 28 ILJ 33.
15. J. Monger 'Labour Disputes in 2002' in Labour Market Trends (June 2003) p 286.
16. Employment Tribunal Service (ETS), Annual Report and Accounts 2002-03 (London: ETS, 2003) p 2.
17. Employment Tribunal Service (ETS), Annual Report and Accounts 2003-04 (London: ETS, 2004) p 2.
18. See D. Metcalf, British Unions: Resurgence or Perdition? (London: Work Foundation, 2005).
19. W. McCarthy, op cit (1992) p 12.
20. S. Deery, and R. Mitchell, 'The Emergence of Individualisation and Union Exclusion as an Employment Relations Strategy' in S. Deery and R. Mitchell (eds), Employment Relations: Individualisation and Union Exclusion (Annandale, NSW: Federation Press, 1999) p 4.
21. See P. Smith and G. Morton, 'Union Exclusion and the Decollectivisation of Industrial Relations in Contemporary Britain' (1993) 31 BJIR 97.
22. D. Metcalf, op cit (2005) p 6.
23. S. Burgess, C. Propper and D. Wilson, 'Explaining the Growth in the Number of Applications to Industrial Tribunals 1972-97', Employment Relations Research Series No 10 (London: DTI, 2001) p 57.
24. See also B. Hayward, M. Peters, N. Rousseau and K. Seeds, 'Findings from the Survey of Employment Tribunal Applications 2003', Employment Relations Research Series No 33 (London: Department of Trade and Industry, 2004) p 21.
25. For example, see T. Novitz, 'A Revised Role for Trade Unions as Designed by New Labour: The Representation Pyramid and Partnership' (2002) 29 Journal of Law and Society 487.
26. For a detailed review of this legislative programme, see L. Dickens, 'Individual Statutory Employment Rights Since 1997: Constrained Expansion' (2002) 24 Employee Relations 619.
27. See J. McIlroy, 'The Enduring Alliance? Trade Unions and the Making of New Labour, 1994-97' (1998) 36 BJIR 537
28. S. McKay, 'Between Flexibility and Regulation: Rights, Equality and Protection at Work' (2000) 39 BJIR 285.
29. Wilson and the National Union of Journalists; Palmer, Wyeth and the National Union of Rail, Maritime, and Transport Workers; Doolan and Others v United Kingdom [2002] IRLR 568 ECHR.
30. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 'Review of the Employment Relations Act 1999: Government Response to Public Consultation' (London: DTI, December 2003) p 40.
31. See B. Hepple and G. Morris, 'The Employment Act 2002 and the Crisis of Individual Employment Rights' (2002) 31 ILJ 245.
32. For useful overview, see A. Pollert, 'The Unorganised Worker: The Decline in Collectivism and New Hurdles to Individual Employment Rights' (2005) 34 ILJ 217.
33. Department of Trade and Industry, Routes to Resolution: Improving Dispute Resolution in Britain: Government Response (London: DTI, 2001)
34. N. Burkitt, Workers Rights and Wrongs (London: Institute of Public Policy Research, 2001).
35. National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux (NACAB) 'Routes to Resolution: Improving Employment Dispute Resolution - The Citizens Advice Bureaux Service's Response' (London: NACAB, 2001) p 2.
36. B. Hayward et al, op cit (2004) pp 16-25.
37. E. Collins and E. Meehan, 'Women's Rights in Employment and Related Areas' in C. McCrudden and G. Chambers (eds), Individual Rights and the Law in Britain (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1995) pp 403-4.
38. B. Hayward et al, op cit (2004) p 156.
39. W. Brown et al, op cit (2000) p 622.
40. S. McKay, op cit (2001) p 293.
41. Brown et al, op cit (2000) p 623-6.
42. L. Dickens, op cit (2002) p 633.
43. R. Hyman, 'The Sickness of British Trade Unionism: Is There a Cure?' in R. Hyman (ed), The Political Economy of Industrial Relations: Theory and Practice in a Cold Climate (Basingstoke: MacMillan, 1989) p 167.
44. See J. Mortimer, 'Let Trade Unions do their job' in K. Coates (ed), Freedom and Fairness: Empowering People at Work (Nottingham: Spokesman, 1986) p 104.
45. S. Evans et al, op cit (1985) p 98.
46. K.W. Wedderburn, The Worker and the Law (Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1965) p 161.
47. P. Morris, 'Unison and Low Pay Policy' in M. Terry (ed), Redefining Public Sector Unionism: Unison and the Future of Trade Unions (London: Routledge, 2000) p 214.
48. J. Monks, 'Gains and Losses after Twenty Years of Legal Intervention' in W. McCarthy (ed), Legal Intervention in Industrial Relations: Gains and Losses (Oxford: Blackwell, 1992) p 209.
49. Trades Union Congress (TUC), Industrial Relations Legislation: A TUC Consultative Document (London: TUC, 1985) p 3.
50. J. Edmonds, 'The Decline of the Big Battalions' (March 1984) Personnel Management 21.
51. Meager et al, op cit (2002) p 185.
52. Trades Union Congress (TUC), Trade Union Trends: Focus on Employment Tribunals (London: TUC, 2003) p 2.
53. Ibid at 1.
54. See E. Heery, 'Campaigning for Part-Time Workers' (1998) 12 Work Employment and Society 351.
55. B. Hayward et al, op cit (2004) p 103.
56. N. Bacon and J. Storey, 'Individualism and Collectivism and the Changing Role of Trade Unions' in P. Ackers, P. Smith and C. Smith (eds), The New Workplace and Trade Unionism (London: Routledge, 1996) p 56.
57. Quoted in B. Carter 'Rhetoric and Reality: The Adoption of the Organising Model in Manufacturing, Science and Finance' in P. Fairbrother and C. Yates (eds), Trade Unions in Renewa. (London: Continuum, 2003) p 194.
58. C. Howell 'Women as the Paradigmatic Trade Unionists? New Work, New Workers and New Trade Union Strategies in Conservative Britain' (1996) 17 Economic and Industrial Democracy 533.
59. Also, see Heery's comments on test cases assembled by the TUC, 'in all probability, the majority of these cases will be resolved by collective agreement between employers and unions involved in the TUC campaign' in E. Heery op cit (1998) p 355).
60. Case C-127/92, Enderby v Frenchay Health Authority, [1994] ICR 112, ECJ.
61. T. Colling and L. Dickens, 'Selling the Case for Gender Equality: Deregulation and Equality Bargaining in Britain.' (1998) 36 BJIR 389
62. K. Gilbert and J. Secker, 'Generating Equality? Equal Pay, Decentralisation, and the Electricity Supply Industry' (1995) 33 BJIR 190.
63. C. Howell op cit (1996).
64. J. Lovenduski and V. Randall, Contemporary Feminist Politics: Women and Power in Britai. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993).
65. J. Edmonds, 'New Wave Unions?' (September 1986) Marxism Today p 17.
66. Hayward v Cammell Laird Shipbuilders Ltd [1988] ICR 464, HL.
67. Given the sensitivity of the issues under discussion, undertakings were given in each case that evidence and opinion offered during interviews would not be attributed to identified individuals, either in written form or in discussion with other during the fieldwork process. Responses from individuals quoted in the text are therefore not labelled, so as to prevent attribution.
68. T. Palmer et al, op cit (2004) p 33.
69. Meager et al, op cit (2002) p 33.
70. Hayward et al, op cit (2004) pp 80-2.
71. H.J. McCammon 'Labor's Legal Mobilization: Why and When do Workers File Unfair Labor Practices?' (2001) 28 Work and Occupations 143.
72. The CSAB was established in 1971, with the agreement of civil service unions, to hear appeals by civil servants against dismissal. Procedure developed subsequently to mirror those of the Employment Tribunal and its role expanded to cover additional disputes over early retirement; compensation; participation in political activities; and superannuation.
73. Cadman v Health and Safety Executive [2004] IRLR 971 EWCA
74. Health and Safety Executive v Cadman [2004] IRLR 29 EAT.
75. Paul Noon, General Secretary, Prospect: Internal Document 2004.
76. Allonby v Accrington and Rossendale College and Others [2004] IRLR 224 ECJ.
77. Note that this finding echoes those from the Survey of Employment Tribunal Applications. Union representatives were markedly better disposed towards compromise agreements than other representatives. Two thirds (62%) felt that compromise agreements delivered outcomes for members that were as good as those at tribunal or better. See P. Latreille, J. Latreille and K. Knight, 'Findings from the 1998 Survey of Representatives in Employment Tribunal Cases', Employment Relations Research Series (London: Department of Trade and Industry, 2004) p 30.
78. This general sentiment also resonates with survey findings from Latreille et al, op cit (2004) p 46. Union representatives were markedly less likely than other groups to indicate high levels of satisfaction with the tribunal system: Less than one fifth did so as against one third of solicitors and nearly half of Citizens Advice Bureaux advisors. One third of union representatives (34%) expressed dissatisfaction, three times the rate for CAB advisors and more than twice that of solicitors.
79. 'Natfhe Allleges Pay Scheme Bias', Times Higher Educational Supplement, 3 December 2004, p 2.
80. See E. Heery, M. Simms, D. Simpson, R. Delbridge and J. Salmon, 'Organizing Unionism Comes to the UK' (1999) 22 Employee Relations 38
81. E. Heery, 'Partnership vs Organising: Alternative Futures for British Trade Unionism' (2002) 33 Industrial Relations Journal 20.