Description:
The Employment Relations Act 1999 affected major changes to collective labour law in Britain: a procedure for the mandatory recognition of trade unions by employers; more extensive (albeit still limited) protection for employees against dismissal for taking part in industrial action; and greater protection for trade union members against discrimination by employers. However, much of the Conservative Government's legacy in this area remains untouched, including the legislation that governs whether industrial action is lawful and trade union governance. This article analyses the implication of the changes to collective labour law made by the Employment Relations Act and, equally important, indicates those areas which the Labour Government chose to leave intact, even where this means that UK labour law continues to fall short of international standards.