Employment Update November 2010

The erosion of the "right" to strike?

The last few years have seen an increase in industrial action. Opinions vary on whether this is due to an increasingly militant workforce or as a result of economic conditions which have pushed employers to impose detrimental changes on employees with little or no consultation. Whatever the reason, employers appear more ready to try and prevent strike action by challenging balloting procedures and seeking injunctions. With further cuts proposed in the public sector, the discontent is likely to continue into 2011.

The level of detail required by UK legislation in the balloting process may appear to many to be cumbersome. In this update we focus on the issue in our opinion piece, which will hopefully provoke further thought. We also look at some recent pregnancyrelated cases and focus on pre-employment health questions under the new Equality Act.