Reino Unido - Anti-union tactics (2010)

Protection against anti-union discrimination (unfair practices) only applies within the framework of organising a recognition ballot, whereas a lot of employer misconduct may take place at a much earlier stage when the union is trying to organise, recruit and build up some kind of structure. Unscrupulous employers commonly employ a variety of anti-union tactics, including threats of closure of the plant and individual job loss, actual dismissals, pay and promotion inducements, holding a company ballot in advance of an independently conducted ballot, denial of any access to a union including preventing leaflets being given to the employees, holding anti-union meetings at the workplace, one-on-one meetings, and changes to the bargaining unit - either splitting it or combining it with others.

In the shipping sector, contracts of employment have been found to expressly forbid individuals from contacting a recognised trade union so as to favour the conclusion of «workforce agreements» with workers’ representatives rather than collective agreements with trade unions, thereby weakening the terms and conditions of employment in this sector.

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