IRS essential update on working with trade unions

The IRS one-day conference on trade unions - brought to you by the XpertHR Group - will provide legal advice and practical solutions on how to manage the relationship with trade unions effectively in order to avoid any issues escalating into costly industrial action. 

To help you make the most of the conference, we highlight just some of the material on this subject available - or coming soon - on XpertHR - including a four-part guide to working with trade unions; and a series of trade union FAQs. 

You may also be interested in attending the IRS masterclass on formal trade union negotiations, which is being held on 4 November 2009. 

 

Training to get the most out of XpertHR

Are you getting the most out of XpertHR? If not, we can provide training to help you understand XpertHR’s content, functions and capabilities. Training sessions can be tailored to suit your specific needs and there are a number of ways in which we provide this service:

  • One-to-one (via telephone)
  • A conference call for your team
  • Group presentations
  • Attending HR meetings

To request training for yourself or a colleague please email: training@xperthr.co.uk. 

 

Employment law manual: trade unions

The XpertHR employment law manual has a chapter on Industrial relations that provides accessible and up-to-date guidance on the law on trade unions, including the recognition process and handling industrial action. It also alerts you to forthcoming changes to the law, via the Future developments subsections, a feature of all the employment law manual sections. 

 

How to work with trade unions and employee representatives

XpertHR's How to section provides practical step-by-step advice on working with trade unions and employee representatives, including how to handle the statutory recognition procedure; managing the consequences of recognition; trade union derecognition; and details of the employer's obligation to inform and consult prior to redundancies. 

Remember, if you come across any article on XpertHR that you want to draw to the attention of a colleague, every article has a link to the right of the screen enabling you to "email this item to a colleague". Click on the link, enter the email address of your colleague, and press send. Your colleague will receive the document in full, making this an ideal tool when delegating work. Alternatively, you can email the article to yourself as a reminder. 

 

Trade unions and the workplace

Dealing with trade unions
With the headlines full of strikes, how can HR handle industrial relations without sparking confrontation? 

Uneven progress for union women
The latest biennial survey by the Labour Research Department of the role women play in trade unions finds that progress towards women becoming fully represented throughout union structures is “slow and patchy”. 

The missing link: union equality representation at work
Trained and knowledgeable equality reps are providing specialist support and advice on a wide range of diversity issues. IRS Equal Opportunities Review examines some of the first union/employer initiatives. 

The union perspective on equal pay
One of the main unions involved in the public sector equal pay claims is Unison. IRS Equal Opportunities Review sets out the position on equal pay from the union’s point of view. 

 

Trade union frequently asked questions

XpertHR's FAQs section provides answers to commonly asked questions on a wide range of topics. Questions on trade unions include:

We welcome suggestions for new FAQs from our subscribers, so if there's a question that you would like to see answered on the site, use the Suggest tab in the FAQs section to submit your idea. 

However, if you have a particular query and wish to receive an individual response to it within a short timeframe, you should make use of the Legal Advice section of the site (within Employment Law in the left-hand toolbar). You can telephone or email your question to be answered by a specialist employment lawyer. 

 

Trade union recognition - what employers need to know

IRS Employment Review's survey of 90 organisations explores the relationship between management and workers. We focus on the role trade unions play, as seen through the eyes of the managers with whom they negotiate. The research is published as a four-part series:

 

Recent case law on trade union consultation and collective agreements

Keep up with the latest developments in employment case law and check key legal precedents. Recently reported trade union cases include:

Akavan Erityisalojen Keskusliitto AEK Ry and others v Fujitsu Siemens Computers Oy
The European Court of Justice has held that an employer triggers the duty to consult employees about collective redundancies under the Collective Redundancies Directive (98/59/EC) when it adopts strategic decisions or changes in activities that compel it to contemplate or plan for collective redundancies. 

Sehmi v Gate Gourmet London Ltd; Sandhu and others v Gate Gourmet London Ltd
The Employment Appeal Tribunal has considered when it is fair to dismiss an employee who has taken unauthorised absence to take part in industrial action. 

Rolls Royce v Unite
The High Court has held that two collective agreements that set out an approach to redundancy that gives points for length of service in the selection process are lawful under the age discrimination legislation. 

For up-to-the-minute news on key cases that have not yet been reported elsewhere on XpertHR, see the XpertHR stop press. 

 

Trade union -related articles coming soon to XpertHR

Good practice guide on informing and consulting employees during a collective redundancy procedure
XpertHR's good practice guides deliver accessible guidance that goes above and beyond what employers are required to do by law. This guide discusses why employers should inform and consult employees during a collective redundancy procedure; and the various methods of consultation. 

See Coming soon to XpertHR for this and other resources that are due to be published on XpertHR in the coming weeks, as well as details of those that have recently been published on the site.