NEWS RELEASE Wednesday 26th February 2003
STUC believes the Queen's Speech includes proposals that will make a significant difference to the lives of working people, but raises concerns over some of the specifics in the Government's legislative programme. The STUC broadly welcomes proposed legislation in the Queen's Speech for a Pensions Bill and aspects of the proposed Employment Relations Bill.
However the STUC is angry at the ongoing failure to find parliamentary time for legislation on Corporate Killing and Corporate Accountability and remains strongly opposed to the new Immigration and Asylum Bill.
The STUC warmly welcomes the decision to retain the number of Members of the Scottish Parliament at 129.
Please find briefing and quotes on the following issues.
Employment Relations Bill
Pensions Bill
Corporate Killing and Corporate Accountability Immigration and Asylum Bill
Scottish Parliament
Employment Relations Bill
The STUC warmly welcomes the Government's commitment to introduce a new Employment Relations Act. Action to provide better protection for trade union members who campaign for recognition in the workplace is much needed. There is significant evidence that bad employers are prepared to use threats of dismissal to undermine work towards union recognition. Action is
Tel: 0141 337 8100 / Fax: 0141 337 8101 www.stuc.org.uk
also required to prevent employers using financial and other inducements to "persuade" union members to give up collective bargaining rights.
The STUC is concerned, however, that the proposed Bill may not go far enough in three key areas.
Creating a level playing field through providing equal recognition rights for employees in small businesses.
Providing greater protection beyond the current 8 week period for workers involved in lawful industrial dispute
Changing the requirement for a "yes" vote in a recognition ballot to achieve 40% of all those eligible to vote a requirement which if extended to parliament would see virtually no MPs elected at all.
Pensions Bill
The STUC warmly welcomes the proposal for a Pensions Protection Fund (PPF). This will greatly enhance the confidence of employees in their company schemes at a time when fears over pensions have never been greater. The STUC looks forward to a properly funded PPF, which can provide the pensions stability we desperately need.
The STUC will continue to campaign for
- A change to insolvency law so that company pensioners become priority creditors and are not left at the bottom of the pile when a company goes bust.
- Proper consultation with recognised trade unions before changes are made to company pension schemes.
- At least 50% of Pension Trust members to be nominated by employees. It is totally unacceptable that scheme members should be under-represented on the boards, which control their funds.
Corporate Killing and Corporate Accountability
The STUC is angry that the government has again failed to find parliamentary time for legislation to hold company directors responsible for the failure to properly protect workers under health and safety directives.
There has been a significant rise in the number of work related deaths - with 36 Scottish workers losing their lives. Equally worrying is the fact that there has been no reduction in major injuries to workers an area where improvement in desperately needed.
The government has again missed the opportunity to legislate in an area of major public concern and this must be remedied at the earliest opportunity.
Tel: 0141 337 8100 / Fax: 0141 337 8101 www.stuc.org.uk
Immigration and Asylum Bill
The STUC considers the consultation for the proposed Bill on Immigration and Asylum to have been rushed and the likely content to be illiberal and dangerous.
In particular the STUC refers to proposals to deny support for Asylum Seeker families whose appeals against deportation have failed.
The effect of this legislation could be to force local councils to evict Asylum Seekers families and then take their children into care. This flies in the face of the spirit of the Children's Act 1989, which clearly requires children to be removed from their families and placed in care only as a last resort.
Scottish Parliament
The STUC strongly supports the proposal to retain at 129 the number of representatives in the Scottish Parliament. Maintaining the current level of democratic representation is considered by the STUC to be vital to a strong parliament with an effective committee structure.
ENDS