Law queries

Can you give us some guidance on union rights to time off during working hours? We need time off to deal with branch administration but our employers say that facility time is only for meetings and negotiations.

Rights to time off are laid down in the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 (TULR(C) A 9). This says that an employer should permit reasonable time off for negotiations with the employer to: represent members; provide information to members and consult with them. Branch administrative duties would not necessarily fall within this definition.

There is a separate right to time off for trade union activities but this does not have to be paid time off.

More information: Section 186 TULR(C) A 92; later in the year LRD will be publishing a new booklet on time off rights