The Employment Relations Act 2004 (c. 24) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which amended UK law regarding trade union membership and industrial action. The act also enabled the UK government to make funds available to trade unions and federations of trade unions to modernise their operations.European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, Employment Relations Act 2004 begins to come into force, published 7 November 2004, accessed 4 January 2020

Background The legislation was a response to concerns raised by the International Labour Organisation's committee of experts relating to trade union recognition.

Provisions The act introduced changes to the recognition procedures for unions.

The act contains provisions relating to discrimination on grounds of trade union membership and protection of strikers from unfair dismissal.

The act allows trade unions to expel or exclude racist activists, and other individuals whose political behaviour is considered incompatible with trade union membership.

The act made changes to the ballots for industrial action.

Section 59 - Citation, commencement and extent The following orders have been made under this section: The Employment Relations Act 2004 (Commencement No. 1 and Transitional Provisions) Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/2566 (C. 108)) The Employment Relations Act 2004 (Commencement No. 2 and Transitional Provisions) Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/3342 (C. 156)) The Employment Relations Act 2004 (Commencement No. 3 and Transitional Provisions) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/872 (C. 36)) The Employment Relations Act 2004 (Commencement No. 4 and Transitional Provisions) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/2419 (C. 100))

Reception According to the Trades Union Congress (TUC), the act contained "significant union victories". The TUC's then general secretary, Brendan Barber welcomed the law, noting that "Staff will have to be given information and be consulted over major changes to the business, as they currently are in Britain’s best companies. Trade unions will be able to recruit members in an environment free of underhand, US-style union-busting activities and will find it easier the exclude and expel far-right activists in breach of union rules. The union modernisation fund the [Act] establishes will enable unions to modernise in the same way the government has helped businesses adapt to grow in the modern economy."

See also Employment Relations Act

Notes

References "Employment Relations Act 2004". Halsbury's Statutes of England and Wales. Fourth Edition Reissue. Volume 16. Title "Employment". Julian Yew and Alan Bone. "Employment Relations Act 2004". Current Law Statutes 2004. Sweet & Maxwell. London. W Green. Edinburgh. 2004. Volume 2. Chapter 24. pp 24-1 to 24-102. Smith and Baker. Smith & Wood's Employment Law. Eleventh Edition. Oxford University Press. 2013. Pages 10, 11, 629, 639, 642, 644, 648, 667, 668, 671, 692, 699, 700, 708, 735, 739, 740, 744 and 748. Upex, Benny and Hardy. Employment Law. (Core Text Series). Third Edition. Oxford University Press. 2009. Paragraphs 12.1 to 12.4, 12.36, 13.19, 13.24 and 14.23 at pages 411 to 413, 423, 429, 435, 437, 451, and 460. Honeyball & Bowers' Textbook on Employment Law. Thirteenth Edition. Oxford University Press. 2014. Pages 11, 122, 343, 404 and 441. Emir (ed). Selwyn's Law of Employment. Seventeenth Edition. Oxford University Press. 2012. Paragraphs 21.49 and 23.48 at pages 598 and 649. Deborah Lockton. Employment Law. (Cavendish Q&A series). Fourth Edition. Cavendish Publishing. 2006. Pages 16, 177, 179, 221 and 229. Galbraith's Building and Land Management Law for Students. Sixth Edition. Butterworth-Heinemann. 2011. Page 226.

External links

Explanatory notes to the Employment Relations Act 2004.