Radical Reform of Employment Tribunals if Labour Wins Next Election

In a speech to the TUC Congress, the Shadow Secretary for Business, Innovation and Skills, Chuka Umunna MP, has indicated that a future labour government will carry out major reforms to the employment tribunal system. 

Mr Umunna branded the current system “unfair” and “unsustainable”, indicating that affordability should not be a barrier to workplace justice.

Mr Umunna’s comments follow the introduction of employment tribunal fees in July last year, following which there has been a 79% reduction in the number of employment tribunal claims issued. 

Mr Umunna said that it would be a mistake simply to return to the previous system, where tribunals were so slow that meaningful justice was not available. Instead a labour government will abolish the current employment tribunal system and replace it with a new system which ensures all workers have proper access to justice.