The Conservative Party has pledged to scrap the legal requirement for employers to offer paid time off for union representatives, a move that shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith says will free up taxpayer cash to be spent on cutting NHS waiting lists and filling potholes.
Current Rules on Union Rep Time Off
Under current laws, union representatives are entitled to take paid time off to receive training and carry out work for their unions, which includes attending pay negotiations and union meetings. Employers are required to allow “reasonable” time off as long as the worker’s union is independent and officially recognised by their employer.
Griffith's Announcement at Thatcher Conference
Griffith will appear at the Margaret Thatcher Conference run by the conservative think tank the Centre for Policy Studies (CPS) on Monday to announce the policy. He will say that the right for paid time off for union reps has “got to go”.
“If businesses want to offer it, they are of course free to do so, but we will no longer use the force of law at a cost to jobs and competitiveness,” Griffith is expected to say. “In the public sector we have a responsibility to go one step further. Every penny of taxpayer’s money should be spent on cutting waiting lists, helping children learn, fixing potholes and public services for taxpayers. Not on trade unions.”
Financial Savings and Expansion of Rights
The Tories claim this policy will save £100m a year, totalling £500m across the course of the next parliament. Kemi Badenoch’s party says it will allow trade union reps to accompany workers to employment meetings, but it will also expand this right to other “qualified representatives” in instances where these meetings become a “closed shop”.
Previous Criticism of Union Pamphlet Rule
Griffith has previously attacked Labour for a proposal which would require employers to hand their workers union pamphlets. A rule included in the Employment Rights Bill, which came into force in December, mandates employers to tell their staff about what unions do and how they can join one. Griffith said the rule would result in the “colonisation” of the private sector by trade unions, and cause the “collapse of British productivity and trade growth”.
“It’ll be Christmas every day for trade unions if this sinister proposal becomes law. Every employer in the land will be compelled to promote trade unions using government-dictated propaganda,” the shadow business secretary said.
