VIEWS NEWS
ON THE
The government is now studying the feasibility of Beecroft’s report on employment law. It’s scary BY AMANDA CAMPBELL
In May the sinister report from multi-millionaire and venture capitalist, Adrian Beecroft – the money man behind subprime lenders
Wonga.com – on changes to employment law, was published after being leaked in the press. It revealed Beecroft’s dreams to dismantle the UK's already weak employment laws.
Commissioned by Chancellor George Osborne recommend- ations include removing millions of working peoples’ rights to pensions, making it easier to sack workers, encouraging sex discrimination, attacking vulnerable workers and even relaxing rules on child labour.
Unite branded the Beecroft report as ‘the worst attack on our employment rights in a generation.’ Such was the outcry following the leak that a source close to business secretary Vince Cable told the Financial Times the proposals were ‘bonkers.’
As we go to press the government have asked for evidence to review some of the proposals. While it seems likely that much of the report won’t become law, worrying aspects such as ‘no fault dismissal’ for members who work for small employers just might.
They say… “To resolve the problem of the unfair dismissal process
one could simply say that if discrimination was not involved an employer could dismiss an employee at any time without giving a reason and paying the employee only for his or her contracted notice period…
..This would give certainty to the employer that an employee can be dismissed within a relatively short period at a known cost and with no fear of a referral to a tribunal provided no discrimination is involved. It could be known as Compensated No Fault Dismissal.”
Adrian Beecroft, October 11, 2011 – released May 21, 2012
19 uniteWORKS July/August 2012
We say… “Beecroft’s proposals would be disastrous for the
economy. They will not create a single job. It’s a charter for rogue bosses to make life even worse for working people in austerity Britain.
“If the recommendations in this report become law it will turn the clock back on decades of progress. This is not a growth strategy it is the worst attack on our employment rights in a generation. If David Cameron allows these proposals to become law it will be a historic disgrace and working people will not forgive him.”
Len McCluskey, May 21, 2012
Others say… “Adrian Beecroft’s proposal for a system of
compensated no-fault dismissal is objectionable and unnecessary. It is objectionable because it would be a licence for bad practice in managing people and damage the reputation of the whole micro-business sector (employers with fewer than five employees.) It is unnecessary because employers facing a possible tribunal claim can already offer the employee a compromise agreement, and tailor the level of compensation to the particular circumstances.”
Mike Emmott, CIPD employee relations adviser, June 6, 2012
No fault? No way!
www.corbisimages.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36