Clause 14 - Information about union membership and employment in bargaining unit
Employment Relations Bill
4:00 pm
Mr Henry Bellingham (North West Norfolk, Conservative)
New paragraph 170A(2) provides:
''The CAC may require an employer to supply the CAC case manager, within such period as the CAC may specify, with specified information''.
Amendment No. 31 would ensure that that period was not less than seven days. That makes sense to me, as it clarifies the specification. New sub-paragraphs (3) and (4) provide that the CAC may require a union and applicant worker respectively to supply specified information, and amendments Nos. 32 and 33 would ensure that that period was also not less than seven days.
The amendments are designed to effect a balance, as we are dealing with employers, unions and individual workers. It would be unreasonable to request that such information be provided within two, three or four days, which the Bill will allow, so we propose a period of seven working days. That is reasonable period in which to elicit the information, and it would mean that neither individuals nor employers were put under unnecessary pressure. It is a small amendment, but fair to all concerned. It is completely even-handed across the board. It would simply make it crystal clear that information could not be required within one, two or three working days. There would have to be a minimum of seven days.