Human Resources MagazineHuman Resources Magazine

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest Human Resources news and updates from around the world.

    What's Hot

    Ethnicity pay gap persists regardless of high company pay levels

    August 10, 2022

    Tip for tat: hotel company offers tattoo incentives to workers

    August 10, 2022

    Catch up: Where do you draw the line with social media screening?

    August 10, 2022
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms
    • Contact
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Thursday, August 11
    Human Resources MagazineHuman Resources Magazine
    Demo
    • Home
    • News
    • Boardroom
    • HR Careers
    • Leadership
    • Human Capital
    • Recruitment
    • HR Software
    • Culture
    • Tech
    Human Resources MagazineHuman Resources Magazine
    Home » Plans to scrap agency cover ban for strikes slammed
    News

    Plans to scrap agency cover ban for strikes slammed

    June 24, 2022No Comments3 Mins Read
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Telegram Pinterest Tumblr
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email


    Proposals allowing employers to use agency workers to carry out the duties of striking staff have been branded unworkable, according to experts.

    Yesterday the government announced it was seeking to replace Section 7 of the 2003 Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations – which currently prevents agencies from supplying workers to an employer to perform the duties of a striking worker. 

    The clause also prevents them from providing agency staff to perform the roles of any non-striking workers who have been reassigned to cover for striking staff.

    Should the proposal to remove this ban be approved, restrictions could be lifted as soon as the next few weeks.


    Unions in action:

    Strikes return after pandemic reprieve

    What a good relationship between HR and unions looks like

    A new dawn for trade unions?


    However, speaking to HR magazine, a spokeswoman at The Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association said that the proposals won’t affect current strikes and doubted how much impact they would have on others of this scale in future.

    They said: “We don’t believe it’s possible for agency workers to replace workers on-scale, because of the sheer amount of training that’s needed for these safety-critical roles.

    “I think this is all about the government making out that they’re the big, tough guys, when it’s not practically possible to be implemented.

    “There are already massive shortages of trained staff, let alone those that haven’t been.”

    Removing a ban on agency workers was set out in the 2015 Conservative manifesto. By being rushed through now, the move has been seen as an attempt to tackle what transport secretary, Grant Shapps, is calling “militant union leaders” who want to “bring our country to a standstill.” 

    Jonathan Chamberlain, employment partner at the law firm Gowling WLG suggested there was a reason that the 2015 plan didn’t go ahead.  

    He said: “It probably breaks international law and, now, might also invite retaliation from the European Union.”

    Others suggest changing the law might also weaken employees’ rights.

    Speaking to HR magazine, Tom Moyes, partner at Blacks Solicitors said: “If an employer now has the ability to bring agency staff in – then it’s something new in their armoury that potentially reduces the power of the strike and strikers’ ability to massively improve their salaries.

    “Any law change could have a negotiating-suppressing impact.”

    Philip Richardson, partner and head of employment law at Stephensons Solicitors suggested the change could potentially thwart future strikes.

    He told HR magazine: “If a worker sees that someone can simply be brought in, it might cause them to think twice about striking in the first place.

    “People still have a legal right to strike, but it could impact people’s willingness to if they think they could get replaced by other people coming in.”

    The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) has dismissed the proposals as CEO Neil Carberry argued the legislation will not achieve its goals.

    Removing the ban, he said, will only lengthen union disputes.

    He added: “It also puts agencies and agency workers in a very difficult position, with potential health and safety and reputational risks to consider.”

    As well as lifting the ban, the government announced that it would raise the maximum damages that courts could award against a union when strike action has been found by a court to be unlawful.

    For the biggest unions, the maximum award will rise from £250,000 to £1 million. Caps on damages have not been changed since 1982.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

    Related Articles

    Ethnicity pay gap persists regardless of high company pay levels

    August 10, 2022

    Tip for tat: hotel company offers tattoo incentives to workers

    August 10, 2022

    High-earner pay rises threaten inflation spiral

    August 9, 2022

    “Pushy” solicitor wins unfair dismissal tribunal

    August 9, 2022

    Economic instability prompts recruitment caution

    August 8, 2022

    More than a million key worker children to reach poverty in 2023

    August 5, 2022
    Add A Comment

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Don't Miss
    News

    Tip for tat: hotel company offers tattoo incentives to workers

    By Press RoomAugust 10, 2022

    Hotel chain Ruby Hotels has offered its employees money towards getting tattoos as an…

    Catch up: Where do you draw the line with social media screening?

    August 10, 2022

    High-earner pay rises threaten inflation spiral

    August 9, 2022

    “Pushy” solicitor wins unfair dismissal tribunal

    August 9, 2022

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest Human Resources news and updates from around the world.

    Our Picks

    Too many businesses still hiding behind green PR

    August 9, 2022

    How to overcome post-pandemic HR sourcing challenges

    August 8, 2022

    How HR can prioritise procedure using automation and digital processes

    August 8, 2022

    Demand for fully remote roles spikes

    August 8, 2022
    About Us
    About Us

    Human Resources Magazine is a dedicated news portal about Human Resources and all that matters to emplyees and leaders in the business section.

    Our Picks

    Ethnicity pay gap persists regardless of high company pay levels

    August 10, 2022

    Tip for tat: hotel company offers tattoo incentives to workers

    August 10, 2022

    Catch up: Where do you draw the line with social media screening?

    August 10, 2022
    Trending Now

    What to expect from the UK’s four-day week trial

    June 6, 2022

    How to be a reviver rather than a survivor with leadership

    July 26, 2022

    Will it take another 20 years for career development to improve?

    March 28, 2022
    Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest
    • Home
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Contact
    © 2022 Human Resources Magazine. All rights reserved.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.