Organising and bargaining in the downturn - a guide for unions (August 2009)

Chapter 2

2. Threats to terms and conditions

[ch 2: pages 7]

As a general rule, employers cannot impose changes to contractual terms and conditions without consultation and agreement with employees. If employers are attempting to railroad changes through or are putting unreasonable pressure on staff to accept changes that are to their detriment, there may be opportunities to enter into a dispute process or to take legal action, including the potential of individual tribunal cases.

Cuts may be announced as part of normal pay bargaining timetables or as a separate measure. In any case, if the measures proposed mean a change to contractual terms and conditions, there should be a period of consultation and in the case of redundancies this is legally required (see “Legal considerations” section below).


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