Tribunal applications rise

Applications
to tribunals have risen by 17 per cent in the past year, according to the
Annual Report and Accounts for 2003-04 published by the Employment Tribunals
Service (ETS).

There
was a 76 per cent increase in sex discrimination cases from 8,128 in 2002-03 to
14,284 in 2003-04, but this was mainly due to more than 7,000 applications
related to the Jobcentre Plus dress-code case.

The
TUC said the increase in tribunal applications showed that employers were still
failing to respect their employees and the law.

TUC
general secretary Brendan Barber called for a change in the law to allow trade
unions to bring a single case against an employer on behalf of a large group of
members.

"The
TUC is concerned that the Government is attempting to reduce the number of
tribunals through complicated reforms to the system that come into force later
this year,” Barber said. “The changes will make it extremely difficult for
employees without union support or legal advice to bring even the strongest of
claims."

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Employment relations minister Gerry Sutcliffe explains what the forthcoming
dispute resolution laws will mean for employers and employees at: www.personneltoday.com/goto/23991

By Michael Millar