Statutory recognition claims are on the up

The number of statutory recognition claims has risen slightly over the last year, according to the 2006-07 annual report of the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC), which is responsible for the process.

After two years of falling applications, the number rose to 64 from 58 in 2005-06. While the figure suggests the downward trend has been arrested, CAC chair Sir Michael Burton said that "broadly speaking the number of applications has reached equilibrium for the time being".

Since statutory recognition came into force in 2000, the annual average number of applications has fallen from 84 to 81, with the actual number ranging from 57 to 118.

The CAC is now dealing with complaints under the unfair practice provisions which came into effect in October 2005. These allow either party to contend that the other party's conduct has compromised a recognition ballot.

In the year 2006-07 there were four such complaints, one of which was withdrawn before the CAC made a decision.

In one case the GMB general union complained about the behaviour of JF Stone t/a The American Dry Cleaning Company, in relation to discipline and grievance issues, towards a union rep. The CAC did not uphold this complaint. The CAC also rejected a claim by the T&G general union over Comet Group's distribution of material.

And the CAC also dismissed a complaint by an employer, the National Maritime Museum, that the PCS civil service union had distributed material during the balloting process which they felt constituted undue influence.