Clause 43 - Union learning representatives
Employment Bill
11:00 am
Mr John Healey (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Education and Skills; Wentworth, Labour)
So that the Committee has the full picture, would the hon. Gentleman like to complete the quotes from the CBI's response? I, too, have quoted its strong opposition to unions' being able to appoint learning representatives and to employers' not being able to veto them. However, paragraph 19 states:
''The CBI accepts that learning representatives should be entitled to reasonable time off.''
That lies at the heart of the clause. Paragraph 22 states that
''there should be a right to unpaid time off for union members to consult with their learning representative'',
which is another crucial part of the clause. Finally, paragraph 23 states:
''The CBI agrees with the consultation document's proposals that the protection against discrimination and victimisation for union learning representatives should be similar to those of other union officials.''
That is at the heart and core of the clause.