More wins for union backed tribunal cases

Employees have more chance of winning an employment tribunal case if backed
by a trade union, according to recent figures from the TUC. Focus on Employment
Tribunals, the annual trends survey from the TUC reveals that 95 per cent of
union cases are settled or won at tribunal, compared with nearly a third (29
per cent) of the total cases lost. Over two-thirds of unions say that simply
bringing a claim makes employers more likely to settle.

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Unions are also winning more in compensation for their members than ever
before. Between November 1999 and October 2000, awards almost doubled from the
previous year. Commenting on the figures, TUC general secretary John Monks
said, "Unions continue to win for their members and are winning more
compensation than ever before. They are good negotiators – most say simply
bringing a claim drives employers to settle."

But the CBI accuses the TUC of fuelling a compensation culture by revelling
in the figures. Susan Anderson, director of human resources policy at the CBI
said, "We are disappointed the TUC is placing so much emphasis on
litigation rather than resolving disputes in the workplace. It is not helpful
to say they can get a result simply by bringing a claim."