Public and Commercial Services Union

Back Tony Lloyd's Amendment to Section 18

Searchlight’s campaign to reinstate Section 18 of the Employment Bill has moved to the House of Commons where we have joined forces with the Trade Union Group of Labour MPs and the TUC to change the Bill as it presently stands.

In addition to removing Section 18 (which has now been renamed Section 19), the amendment seeks to repeal Section 174 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.

This more fundamental amendment has emerged after legal experts decided that the original Section 18, regardless of its current flaws, failed to enforce the ruling from the European Court of Human Rights which called for unions to be able to determine their own membership criteria. The court ruling concluded: "unions must remain free to decide, in accordance with union rules, questions concerning the admission to and expulsion from the union." Section 18 fell short in addressing this court ruling.

The amendment is being put down by Tony Lloyd MP and supported by the Trade Union Group of MPs. Only this week Tony Lloyd was re-elected as Chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party.

We now have one week to ensure that MPs back this amendment. Only be showing the strength of support behind our campaign can we hope to see it passed. AND THIS IS WHERE YOUR HELP IS VITAL.

We urgently need you to contact your MP to ensure they vote for the amendment.   A model letter can be found at http://www.hopenothate.org.uk/Reinstate18/s18_information.phpThe petition is available at http://www.hopenothate.org.uk/Reinstate18/

We have one week to make sure that unions should be able to expel fascists.

With your help we can do it.