United: Union and Government on trade union recognition

These Regulations provide the framework for the recognition by employers of Trade Unions for collective bargaining purposes and set out the statutory recognition procedure whereby a Trade Union may apply to the Director of Employment in the event that an employer refuses to grant recognition.

Further to comprehensive representations made by Unite the Union, who have actively campaigned for the introduction of such legislation, the Government recognises the important and positive relationship that exists between industry and employee representative organisations. The Government has a strong and professional relationship with the major Trade Unions within our jurisdiction, to the benefit of Gibraltar as a whole, and considers that the same will hold true with organisations outside of the Public Sector.

The salient points within the legislation cover:

• Orders for statutory recognition where employers refuse to recognise a Trade Union or its bargaining unit.

• The recognition, management, revocation and/or termination of Collective Agreements relating to the bargaining process.

• Right to accompaniment of a Trade Union representative or another of the employer’s employees at disciplinary or grievance hearings.

• Facility Time and Anti-Discrimination processes related to the work of Trade Union representatives within an employer’s workforce in respects to their Trade Union duties.

Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said: ‘This Command Paper is designed as the beginning of our delivery of an important part of our manifesto in respect of social justice and industrial relations. I am very pleased we are now able to start delivering on this aspect of the work we are committed to doing and on which we have a popular mandate.’

A GOOD DAY

A good day for worker representation and constructive industrial relations, said Unite.

The union says it has long campaigned for the introduction of legislation to enable unions to seek recognition where the relevant level of union membership and employee support exists. Legislative reform to introduce such a mechanism to achieve collective bargaining most recently formed part of the Unite manifesto in the run up to the 2019 general election.

MORE IN PANORAMA PRINT EDITION

19-06-2020 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR