Clause 4 - Determination of appropriate bargaining unit
Employment Relations Bill
9:30 am
Mr Jonathan Djanogly (Huntingdon, Conservative)
In getting down to the nitty-gritty of the Bill, I have found it one of the harder ones to contend with, because only two of its clauses are stand-alone provisions. Otherwise, it relates to other legislation—the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act
1992, the Employment Rights Act 1996, the Employment Relations Act 1999, the minimum wage legislation and so forth—and it is impossible to consider the Bill without referring to that legislation.
I was struck by the fact that there have been some 25 pieces of pro-union legislation, and this adds to them. The clause and part 1 make more changes, invariably in favour of the unions. I should like to ask the Minister about a matter that comes up throughout the Bill. I would appreciate it if we could address it in the early stages, rather than have it as an ongoing issue. Where did the proposals, including that dealt with in amendment No. 1, come from? Did the Government carry out a review of the changes that would be necessary to existing legislation, or did they ask the unions—