Government attacks on facility time

Facility time is a political issue under the current government, with attacks on it forming part of a more general assault on unions, particularly in the civil service, but also in local government.

In the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the biggest department, training for new reps and training for health and safety reps has been taken out of the “pot” as a result of negotiations. Unions are trying to replicate this in other areas and negotiations are ongoing on a department by department basis.

The TUC’s Health and Safety Manifesto has criticised the government for telling all employers to only agree the very minimum legal limit of facility time, saying it will mean that it will make it much harder to get people to become health and safety representatives and will also reduce their ability to be effective.