4. Safety reps, safety committees and taking action on health and safety


Key changes and developments since last year


• The TUC has published a new edition of The Union Effect which demonstrates how unions make a difference on health and safety;


• The Trade Union Act 2016 contains powers for ministers to make new regulations to limit the time available to union safety representatives to perform their duties and receive training;


• The TUC has published a new report on the value of facility time for union reps, The benefits of paid time off for trade union representatives, setting out how union reps save millions of pounds for the taxpayer, as well as preventing workplace injuries, illness and death;


• There have been several new cases interpreting the law on whistleblowing;


• The Supreme Court granted public services union UNISON permission to continue its legal challenge against employment tribunal fees;


• Unions and blacklisting campaigners secured millions of pounds in compensation for blacklisted workers in an out-of-court settlement.