Time off for union duties — new booklet

Union reps need time off to carry out their duties and activities, as well as for suitable training for their role. Time off for trade union duties explains all the legal rights union and workplace representatives have to time off and the circumstances when they will be paid.

The new booklet from the Labour Research Department uses the Acas code of practice to explain how the rights should be exercised and case law examples to illustrate specific circumstances.

The booklet includes information on time off covering a range of workplace reps, such as union learning reps, safety reps and members of European works councils, and it explains the different circumstances which operate where there is union recognition.

The booklet could prove a useful tool for reps given the recent ill-informed attacks. The right-wing pressure group the Taxpayers’ Alliance published a dossier on the supposed cost of facility time afforded to union reps in the public sector organisations to represent their members.

Time off for trade union duties — a legal guide, £5.75 a copy from Labour Research Department, 78 Blackfriars Road, London SE1 8HF.

www.lrdpublications.org.uk/publications.php?pub=BK&iss=1526