Reports in the media last night and this morning said that the Labour Government is considering reintroducing a fee to be paid by workers and unions who take an employer to an employment tribunal.
After reassuring unions that the Employment Rights Bill would remain intact at both the TUC Congress and Labour Party Conference the media reports say the plan to reintroduce employment tribunal fees is part of an effort to find savings in the Ministry of Justice budget.
Paul Nowak, the general secretary of the TUC, said: “Everyone should be able to enforce their rights at work. Reintroducing tribunal fees would be a gift for bad bosses and price many low-paid workers out of justice – especially women. Tribunal fees were a disaster when they were introduced under the Tories. They blocked genuine claims from going forward and cost more to administer than they raise.”
David Cameron’s coalition government introduced fees in 2013 under the Tories’ austerity drive – but they were scrapped in 2017 after the supreme court ruled they were unlawful, following a case brought by the Unison.
Tribunal fees place a burden on workers and those who have been badly treated at work. They discourage workers coming forward, while leaving bad bosses to get away with treating their workers badly.
When tribunal fees were last in place, claims dropped by two-thirds – not because the mistreatment of workers improved – it was because workers were priced out of the system. Whoever is behind the idea ash would mean overturning a Supreme Court decision must need their heads examining.
As Paul Nowak said: “ET fees are a kite that should never, will never, fly. Its a gimmick that would do nothing to help employers or employees”
Labour should be clear that its a non runner – “no ifs or buts” as someone recently said.