Trade Union Bill receives Royal Assent
The Trade Union Bill, which includes new turnout requirements for strikes to go ahead, has this week (4 May) received Royal Assent.
Under the Trade Union Act industrial action will only be able to proceed when there has been a ballot turnout of at least 50%.
In certain areas of public services – including in the health, education, transport, border security and fire sectors – an additional threshold of 40% of support to take industrial action from all eligible members must be met for action to be legal, the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills said.
Other measures in the Act include:
- Setting a six-month time limit – which can be increased to nine months if the union and employer agree – for industrial action “so that mandates are always recent”;
- A requirement for a clearer description of the trade dispute and the planned industrial action on the ballot paper, “so that all union members are clear what they are voting for”;
- Creation of a transparent process for trade union subscriptions “that allows new members to make an active choice of paying into political funds”;
- Giving more powers to the Certification Officer “to ensure new and existing rules are always followed by unions”;
- Ensuring that payroll deductions for trade union subscriptions are only administered where the cost is not funded by the public and ensuring transparency and greater accountability relating to the use of public money for facility time.
During the Parliamentary process, the Government agreed to commission an independent review into electronic balloting within six months.
Employment Minister Nick Boles: “These changes will ensure people are only ever disrupted by industrial action when it is supported by a reasonable proportion of union members. The Trade Union Act means the rights of the public to go about their lives are fairly balanced with members’ ability to strike.”
