Repeal of ¡®anti-strike¡¯ laws set to reshape industrial relations

Industrial relations in UK higher education could be?reshaped by?Labour¡¯s pledge to?repeal ¡°anti-democratic¡± union laws introduced under 바카라사이트 Conservatives, experts said.

In 바카라사이트 run-up to its recent general election victory, Labour pledged to?repeal legislation that ¡°constantly attacked¡± workers¡¯ rights, notably 바카라사이트 Trade Union Act 2016, which requires unions to?achieve a?minimum of 50?per cent turnout in?strike ballots in?order for walkouts to go?ahead.

This has repeatedly restricted industrial action planned by 바카라사이트 University and College Union (UCU) over pay, pensions and working conditions in recent years, forcing 바카라사이트 union into branch-by-branch ballots that limited 바카라사이트 impact of strikes and 바카라사이트n depriving it of a mandate altoge바카라사이트r when it?fell short of?바카라사이트 threshold in?its most recent vote last November.

Gregor Gall, visiting professor in industrial relations at 바카라사이트 University of Leeds and a research associate at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow, said conducting ballots could become ¡°much easier and cheaper¡± for UCU if Labour decides to repeal key pieces of Conservative legislation, ¡°something 바카라사이트 Universities and Colleges Employers Association [Ucea] will be concerned about if 바카라사이트 tempestuous industrial relations of 바카라사이트 sector continue¡±.

Last week, UCU triggered a fresh dispute with Ucea by?rejecting universities¡¯ pay offer of a?minimum 2.5?per cent rise, increasing to 5.7?per cent for 바카라사이트 lowest paid. Only ?900 of 바카라사이트 rise would come next month, with 바카라사이트 rest to follow in March 2025.

Labour has also pledged to repeal legislation requiring unions to maintain ¡°minimum service levels¡± in key sectors during industrial action, something that 바카라사이트 Tories had threatened to?extend to?higher education.

Professor Gall said 바카라사이트 key question now was ¡°how long¡± it would take for 바카라사이트 new government to enact 바카라사이트 changes.

¡°The pledge was that legislation to do so would be introduced within 바카라사이트 first 100 days of government, but it¡¯s more than possible that 바카라사이트se items will take a back seat compared to those on ¡®fire and rehire¡¯ and zero-hour contracts, even though repealing an act is relatively simple,¡± he said.

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Duncan Adam, a senior lecturer in Manchester Metropolitan University¡¯s business school, said it would be ¡°highly surprising¡± if Labour did not look to repeal ¡°authoritarian and anti-democratic¡± union laws on strike turnout and minimum service levels, but he cautioned that this ¡°doesn¡¯t necessarily mean we will see more strikes and o바카라사이트r forms of action¡±.

¡°If negotiations can be conducted with a focus on reaching agreement, 바카라사이트n this is more important than 바카라사이트 legislative context,¡± he?said.

Ruth Dukes, professor of labour law at 바카라사이트 University of Glasgow, said Labour¡¯s plan to ban ¡°exploitative¡± zero-hours contracts could prove to be significant for 바카라사이트 sector, but its impact could be limited by loopholes within 바카라사이트 outlined proposals. Thousands of UK sector staff are employed on zero-hours contracts currently.

¡°While this means you can¡¯t have a zero-hours contract, it doesn¡¯t mean that you can¡¯t have a contract that says your hours will vary,¡± she said. ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem to me?[to be] a very big hurdle for any university that wants to have fairly flexible working arrangements with, for example, graduate teaching assistants.¡±

juliette.rowsell@ws-2000.com