Shadow Business Secretary Andrew Griffith has voiced strong opposition to the UK's Employment Rights Act, asserting that it will stifle job creation, empower trade unions, and increase burdens on taxpayers. The Act, which passed in December, is slated to implement several new measures that Griffith contends will negatively impact the British economy and young people seeking employment.
Griffith has identified four key provisions within the Act that he urges the new government to repeal. The first is the "swipe to strike" legislation, scheduled to take effect on August 25, which facilitates online balloting for strike action. He argues that electronic voting, unlike the current secret postal ballot system, is susceptible to abuse and intimidation. This, combined with a reduced notice period for industrial action and an extended window for calling a strike after a successful ballot, will make businesses more vulnerable to disruptions, according to Griffith.
Employment Tribunals and Workplace Access
A second concern highlighted by Griffith is the extension of the time limit for employees to make an employment tribunal claim from three months to six months, beginning in October. He points to an existing backlog of half a million claims and instances of what he describes as "fanciful" claims, suggesting this change will exacerbate delays and discourage employers from hiring.
The third provision, termed "right to roam" legislation, grants trade unions enhanced powers to enter workplaces up to 52 times a year to solicit members or organize campaigns. Griffith criticizes this as giving unions disruptive access to company intranets and personal data, even applying to businesses without union members. He likens these powers to those of the Stasi.
Free Speech and Economic Impact
Finally, Griffith addresses the "banter ban," which he believes will restrict free speech by mandating bans for individuals causing offense in various public settings. He cites opposition from free-speech campaigners and warnings from the Equality and Human Rights Commission regarding the vagueness and potential for excessive limitations on debate.
Griffith’s criticisms are echoed by a government review on youth unemployment led by former Labour Health Secretary Alan Milburn, which noted that some employers viewed the reforms as increasing management burdens and reducing flexibility. Think tanks, including the Resolution Foundation and one founded by Tony Blair, have also expressed concerns that the Act will not significantly impact economic growth and may erode business confidence in hiring.
Conservatives, Griffith states, believe that work provides purpose and financial independence, and that an abundance of employment rights is meaningless without job availability. He advocates for repealing the measures he deems "killing jobs" in the Act and curtailing union power. His proposed alternative for expanding opportunities for young people focuses on reducing taxes, energy costs, and red tape to unleash business potential.
Griffith draws a parallel to the 1970s, recalling a period of significant industrial action, and warns that the Labour Party's approach, which he believes favors militant trade unions, could lead the economy and society back to that era.