High Court Decision On Natfhe Action

EDM number 778 in 1993-94, proposed by Alice Mahon on 08/03/1994.

That this House notes the decision of the High Court in granting an injunction to Blackpool and Fylde College in declaring the NATFHE industrial action called for 1st March illegal on the grounds that the union had not provided the employer with the names of all the members balloted and called upon to take action; believes the interpretation of the 1993 amendment to the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act 1992 is in clear opposition to assurances given in this House during the passage of the Bill; is concerned that this tactic is being used by the College Employers Forum rather than negotiating on a national agreement on lecturers' conditions on the basis of increased flexibility as proposed by NATFHE; further deplores the tactics used by Calderdale College to attempt to bribe full-time lecturers and managers with a ú1, 000 one-off payment into giving up trade union negotiated rights the result of which will lead to part-time lecturers losing work; and therefore calls upon the Government to reaffirm the intention of the legislation and to put pressure on the College Employers Forum, via the DFE, to reach a nationally negotiated settlement.

This motion has been signed by a total of 65 MPs, 1 of these signatures have been withdrawn.