Don't Undo Employment Law - It's There for a Reason!

It appears Labour are right about the Tory-led government embracing Thatcher's legacy. As loathe as I am to say it.

Proposals on Employment Law will do severe damage to the genuinely good work the Labour Government acheived in Employment Law in the last decade.

As a previous Union Rep, I'm very aware of the necessity of redundancy legislation, dismissal and equality. When you are faced with papers demeening employees, where roles are cherry-picked by managers on face value not on capability and where people are left out in the cold at the end of employment battles you recognise the need for such regulation.

Osbourne's proposals are a present to the businesses that fund the party, guranteeing them another election campaign paid for while thousands face unfair dismissal.

As a coalition the Lib Dems should not let this happen, equality for all is a fundemental part of Liberalism and we should be objecting loudly and clearly to such proposals to undermine any employee, whether a CEO or a kitchen boy.

In light of rising inflation, some would argue it is necessary. It is not. Employer-employee relations are a mutually respecting relationship that is fundemental to economic growth. To undermine employee security will result in more absence, less work satisfaction and significant under performance. Businesses will suffer directly as a result and the economy will continue on it's poor course. Pun intended.

As Osbourne refers to 'costly impact' of employment laws he has failed to address two things:

1. Employers would not be dragged through tribunals at vast expense of legal teams if they got their HR in order

And

2. The Employment Tribunal system is designed to be accessible by all and not require legal professionals. However, I have yet to see an Employer without a counsel. This is again a cost they have brought on their own heads.

My final thought is that employee rights cases are a bit like rape cases. For every case settled, whether in the ET or by compromise agreement, there are 3 more where employees could not cope with the stress and devestation wrecked on their lives.

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