Great Britain: layoff threats and labour contract changes in public services

The Conservative/Liberal Democratic coalition which controls the council in Birmingham has sent redundancy notices to the council’s entire non-schools staff, numbering some 26,000 workers. The notices tell staff that if they do not accept the reduced terms and conditions which concern car allowances, staff parking and flexible working, they will be sacked. If sacked, the workers will not be eligible for redundancy pay but will be given three months’ wages. The council argues such action is necessary to balance its books in the light of reductions in central government grants which provide the majority of funding for the services it delivers.
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ern car allowances, staff parking and flexible working, they will be sacked. If sacked, the workers will not be eligible for redundancy pay but will be given three months’ wages. The council argues such action is necessary to balance its books in the light of reductions in central government grants which provide the majority of funding for the services it delivers.

Under current employment law, section 188 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992, as long as the statutory

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