UNISON wins landmark case in Employment Law
Employment tribunal fees are set to be scrapped after a landmark decision from the UK Supreme Court.
Bringing the case to the Supreme Court, UNISON successfully argued that employment tribunal fees acted as a clear barrier to justice for workers seeking to take their employers to an employment tribunal.
The fees, introduced by the Conservative and Liberal Democrat Government in July 2013, resulted in workers being charged up to £1,200 during the differing stages of their tribunal.
Speaking after the decision of the Supreme Court, Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse MSP, Christina McKelvie, said:
“This is a landmark decision from the Supreme Court and it’s down to the persistent campaigning of workers and Unions.
“The SNP have been working hard in Westminster and Holyrood to apply pressure to the UK Government to scrap these callous and restrictive charges.
“Whilst the Scottish Government had already committed to scrapping these fees, I’m glad that this decision from the Supreme Court has forced the Conservative Government’s hand.
“They will now be forced to refund thousands of pounds to claimants who were deliberately denied justice. If this Government had any shred of humility, they should apologise unreservedly too.