Tory attempts to mislead on union representatives a ‘smokescreen’
11 January 2012
Unite, the country's biggest union, today (Wednesday 11 January)
accused the Tory party of having its priorities all wrong with its
continued attack on working people and their unions.
The union said that moves today by the Tory MP and former
Barclays investment banker, Jesse Norman MP for Hereford and South
Herefordshire, to use parliamentary time to push for reduced
facilities for trade union representatives is further evidence of a
party that prefers to launch "spurious" attacks on unions than face
up to the genuine challenges facing the economy.
Unite points to findings from business itself which show that
the work of union representatives actually saves employers around
£1.1 billion annually by helping to resolve disputes and preventing
illness and injury at work - ten times more than the £113 million
that Norman claims union representatives cost the taxpayer.
The union is accusing the Tory party of peddling myths about
trade unions in the public sector to divert from the poor economic
performance and a deeper desire to block public sector workers'
access to justice in the workplace.
Jesse Norman will table a ten minute rule bill today (11
January) after prime minister's questions, calling for the end to
public funding support for union representatives in the public
sector. But, Unite says, this directly contradicts a joint report
from the Department for Business, the CBI and the TUC entitled Reps
in Action, which states that there are six core ways in which
workplace representatives save taxpayers and employers money and
stress by:
- Reducing the number of employment tribunals
- Preventing work related illnesses
- Savings on recruitment costs by reducing workers' early
exits
- Reducing workplace injuries
- Dealing with and reducing dismissals and claims
- Productivity gains to the UK economy owing to training and
education
Unite general secretary Len McCluskey said: "This Tory MP and
former Barclays investment banker has his priorities all wrong. He
would be far better off using his taxpayer-funded salary to
campaign for an end to the greed and excess in his former
profession rather than targeting workers' access to fairness in the
workplace.
"There is no rational reason to target dedicated men and women
who spend their days preventing accidents, avoiding tribunals and
supporting their colleagues.
"The claims behind this bill are spurious. If this were
genuinely about lowering unemployment or helping business, then why
is Norman not suggesting that the government follows the practice
of the only country in the EU where unemployment is falling,
Germany? Over there, union facility time is written into the law,
or are Norman and his ilk so blinded by a loathing of organised
labour that they cannot see sense?
"Union representatives benefit workplaces to the tune of £1.1
billion every year. Only the ideologically-driven cannot accept
that these arrangements benefit staff and employers alike. Even
Jesse Norman's former employer, Barclays funds its union reps
because it understands the benefits they provide to that
business.
"Our message to the Tory party today is drop the smokescreen.
Concentrate on fixing the economy, not creating diversions and
misleading the public by peddling distortions about trade
unions."
Around 200,000 workers carry out representative duties, whether
that is checking on health and safety, providing formal or informal
advice, helping with training and education, representing members
at hearings and also negotiating with managers by acting as a
single point of contact.
ENDS
Contact: Ciaran Naidoo on 07768 931 315
