Feb 03 - Unite to Study Gibraltar Employment Legislation in Comparison to EU and UK
Following a presentation by Unite official Christian Duo, the Executive Committee of Unite’s Gibraltar Branch has sanctioned and commissioned the International Centre for Trade Union Rights ('ICTUR') to carry out a project and make a comparison on UK, EU and Gibraltar Employment Legislation.
The project is being carried out by renowned Employment Lawyer, Professor Kieth Ewing and Daniel Blackburn of ICTUR. Both men have had previous involvement in Unite's Campaign on Moroccan Rights.
A report covering organising; recognition; bargaining; strikes; and individual employment rights and enforcement will be completed. With the main approach leaning towards critically evaluating the legal and IR systems in the UK and Gibraltar. The team is looking to identify which aspects of UK law and practice could be helpful, and which might be less helpful.
The whole process will be geared towards making clear findings and to producing clear recommendations.
Commenting on the matter, a Unite Spokesperson said, ‘One area, for which Prof Keith Ewing and ICTUR have been asked to consider, has the potential for developing a "manifesto of employment rights for the union", that is identifying not just international obligations that Gibraltar may need to recognise ie ILO conventions and EU directives, but also to develop the potential for future legislation by either improving existing mechanisms or developing new ones. This I believe is a major step for our branch.
‘The second project (not yet sanctioned by Unite’s executive) is to be undertaken by the Labour Research Department (LRD). LRD has been an integral part of the labour movement for over 100 years. It works closely with all trade unions providing information such as pay information, information for reps and union officers and conducting be-spoke research. LRD is also part of the European Labour movement research network run by the European Trade Union Confederation.
‘The objective of this second project would be for LRD to produce an employment law and health & safety law booklet adapted to focus on Gibraltar’s labour laws. This could exist as a pdf on the unite website, can be easily copied, emailed to all reps, and is written in such as way that it accessible to reps, but can also be translated or information lifted for any leaflets or campaigns that Unite may wish to do eg a leaflet for shop workers highlighting their rights.
‘In this second project Unite will be seeking sponsors i.e Legal Firms to partly fund the project.’
