Employment Relations Act 2004

The act introduced changes to the recognition procedures for unions. The act contains provisions relating to discrimination on grounds of trade union membership and protection of strikers from unfair dismissal. The act allows trade unions to expel or exclude racist activists, and other individuals whose political behaviour is considered incompatible with trade union membership. The act made changes to the ballots for industrial action. Part 1 Section 21 This section inserts section 210A of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992. Section 24 - Inducement of members not accorded entitlement to vote Section 24(2) was repealed by paragraph 21(c) of Schedule 4 to the Trade Union Act 2016. Part 2 Section 28 Section 28(2) inserts section 238B of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992. by section 20 of, and Part 2 of the Schedule to, the Employment Act 2008. Section 46(1) inserted sections 22A to 22F of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998. Section 47 - Enforcement officers for agricultural wages legislation This section was repealed as to England on 1 October 2013 by section 72(4) of, and paragraph 2 of Schedule 20 to, the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013. Section 47(1) inserted section 11A of the Agricultural Wages Act 1948. Part 5 Section 48 This section inserts section 256ZA of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992. Section 59 - Citation, commencement and extent The following orders have been made under this section: • The Employment Relations Act 2004 (Commencement No. 1 and Transitional Provisions) Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/2566 (C. 108)) • The Employment Relations Act 2004 (Commencement No. 2 and Transitional Provisions) Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/3342 (C. 156)) • The Employment Relations Act 2004 (Commencement No. 3 and Transitional Provisions) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/872 (C. 36)) • The Employment Relations Act 2004 (Commencement No. 4 and Transitional Provisions) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/2419 (C. 100)) Schedule 1 -Minor and consequential amendments Paragraph 1 was repealed by paragraph 2 of Schedule 20 to the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013. Paragraph 14 was repealed by paragraph 21(c) of Schedule 4 to the Trade Union Act 2016. ==Reception==

According to the Trades Union Congress (TUC), the Act contains 'significant union victories'. The TUC's then general secretary, Brendan Barber welcomed the law, noting that "Staff will have to be given information and be consulted over major changes to the business, as they currently are in Britain’s best companies. Trade unions will be able to recruit members in an environment free of underhand, US-style union-busting activities and will find it easier the exclude and expel far-right activists in breach of union rules. The union modernisation fund the [Act] establishes will enable unions to modernise in the same way the government has helped businesses adapt to grow in the modern economy." == See also ==