Government urged to boost reps' rights

The TUC has welcomed new government discussions on the facilities, support and rights available to workplace reps, and has called for a comprehensive review to be completed before the end of the year.

The Department of Trade and Industry has been seeking unions' and employers' views on how reps' existing rights are working in practice. The move stems from last year's "Warwick Agreement" between the Labour Party and unions.

The TUC wants the current rights to be beefed up -- to deal, for example, with the problem of reps often being unable to exercise their right to time off for union duties because of lack of cover for their work.

It would also like to broaden the current range of union duties covered by the law to include organising and recruitment.

The results of a TUC online survey of reps will be published shortly.