THE LATEST proposals for changes to employment legislation from the Con-Dems once again show their blatant class bias. These moves are supposedly about 'lifting red tape' and 'promoting job creation', but it looks more like 'promoting job destruction' and making it easier for bosses to throw workers out onto the dole queues!

Greg Maughan

The first part of what ministers are referring to as an 'Employers' Charter', proposes that the qualifying period before workers can lodge unfair dismissal cases be extended from one to two years and that a charge of up to £500 to lodge employment tribunal claims be introduced.

This will mean that bosses feel free to exploit and discriminate against low-paid workers in particular, safe in the knowledge that they won't be able to afford justice.

The Telegraph quoted Harry Clarke of Cobalt Telephone Technologies: "On the day they are sacked, employees are asked to leave the Basingstoke-based business immediately and are rarely given formal warnings."

Clarke goes on to explain how his company premises have "a fairly large drawbridge and don't get lunatics turning up at the offices in the first place."

The company conducts 'personality tests' as part of its recruitment procedure, and for 'lunatic' you can read anyone who has been involved with a trade union and has a campaigning background, or even just expects the 'courtesy' of a notice period!

The Unite union has rightly condemned these proposals as a 'Rogues' Charter' and as part of the fight to defend all jobs and services, the trade union movement must vigorously oppose these regressive attacks and demand rights for all workers from day one on the job.

David Cameron has also announced that the government plans to change strike ballot laws, making strikes illegal if less than 50% of union members take part. This move is designed to stymie trade union opposition to spending cuts.

The CBI bosses' organisation is further insisting that a strike ballot should only be valid if over 40% of those entitled to vote do so, instead of the current simple majority of those who vote.

If the CBI's formula was applied to voting in general elections then the present government would be illegal!

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