The government has announced today (Monday) that it has opened a consultation on re-introducing fees in the employment tribunal and the employment appeal tribunal system.
In 2017 the Supreme Court quashed a previous tribunal fees regime because it “effectively prevents access to justice, and is therefore unlawful.”
The TUC says that by seeking to reimpose fees the government is “taking the side of bad bosses” over workers exercising their rights.
Employment tribunals dropped by 67% when fees were introduced says : Thompsons Trade Union Law
Employment tribunal fees were introduced by the coalition government in July 2013. Before this, since the creation of the employment tribunal system in 1964, there were no fees for bringing claims or appeals. The Supreme Court quashed employment tribunal fees in July 2017 following a challenge by the union Unison.
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak condemned this new attempt by the Tory government to promote a working environment of bad baosses by charging workers for justice:
“This is another example of ministers taking the side of bad bosses, not working people.
Now, the government wants to make it even harder for working people to seek justice if they face discrimination, unfair dismissal or withheld wages.
When P&O Ferries flouted employment law by sacking 800 workers without notice, they did almost nothing about it.
All working people should be able to enforce their rights. But introducing fees for tribunals puts yet another hurdle in the way of those seeking justice at their most vulnerable moment.
The Tories have already tried this and failed. Last time they introduced tribunal fees, claims dropped by two-thirds. And the Supreme Court threw them out – saying they interfered with access to justice.
Working people shouldn’t be picking up the bill for exploitative employers’ poor behaviour. Employment tribunal fees are just an invitation for bad bosses to ride roughshod over workers.”
PCS General Secretary-elect, Fran Heathcote said:
“This is nothing short of a further attack on working people trying to exercise their rights in the workplace. The government has given carte blanche to rogue employers to ride roughshod over the rights of workers who they know can ill-afford to pay tribunal fees just to access justice.
This is the latest anti-worker and anti-union move from the Conservative government who have also sought to restrict the right to strike under the guise of minimum service levels. PCS will oppose any attempts to introduce restrictions on the right to strike and any attempts to deny justice to our members seeking justice through the tribunals system.”
Note
Government consultation:
Information on the government’s consultation on introducing fees in the employment tribunals and the employment appeal tribunal system is available here
Source: TUC / Thompsons Solicitors
