Part IV Industrial Relations
Chapter II Procedure for Handling Redundancies
Supplementary provisions
F1195Construction of references to dismissal as redundant etc.
(1)
In this Chapter references to dismissal as redundant are references to dismissal for a reason not related to the individual concerned or for a number of reasons all of which are not so related.
(2)
For the purposes of any proceedings under this Chapter, where an employee is or is proposed to be dismissed it shall be presumed, unless the contrary is proved, that he is or is proposed to be dismissed as redundant.
F2196 Construction of references to representatives.
(1)
For the purposes of this Chapter persons are employee representatives if—
(a)
they have been elected by employees for the specific purpose of being consulted by their employer about dismissals proposed by him, or
(b)
having been elected F3or appointedby employees (whether before or after dismissals have been proposed by their employer) otherwise than for that specific purpose, it is appropriate (having regard to the purposes for which they were elected) for the employer to consult them about dismissals proposed by him,
and (in either case) they are employed by the employer at the time when they are elected F4or appointed.
(2)
References in this Chapter to representatives of a trade union, in relation to an employer, are to officials or other persons authorised by the trade union to carry on collective bargaining with the employer.
F5(3)
References in this Chapter to affected employees are to employees who may be affected by the proposed dismissals or who may be affected by measures taken in connection with such dismissals.
197 Power to vary provisions.
(1)
The Secretary of State may by order made by statutory instrument vary—
(a)
the provisions of sections 188(2) and 193(1) (requirements as to consultation and notification), and
(b)
the periods referred to at the end of section 189(4) (maximum protected period);
but no such order shall be made which has the effect of reducing to less than 30 days the periods referred to in sections 188(2) and 193(1) as the periods which must elapse before the first of the dismissals takes effect.
(2)
No such order shall be made unless a draft of the order has been laid before Parliament and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.
198 Power to adapt provisions in case of collective agreement.
(1)
This section applies where there is in force a collective agreement which establishes—
(a)
arrangements for providing alternative employment for employees to whom the agreement relates if they are dismissed as redundant by an employer to whom it relates, or
(b)
arrangements for F6handling the dismissal of employees as redundant.
(2)
On the application of all the parties to the agreement the Secretary of State may, if he is satisfied having regard to the provisions of the agreement that the arrangements are on the whole at least as favourable to those employees as the foregoing provisions of this Chapter, by order made by statutory instrument adapt, modify or exclude any of those provisions both in their application to all or any of those employees and in their application to any other employees of any such employer.
(3)
The Secretary of State shall not make such an order unless the agreement—
(a)
provides for procedures to be followed (whether by arbitration or otherwise) in cases where an employee to whom the agreement relates claims that any employer or other person to whom it relates has not complied with the provisions of the agreement, and
(b)
provides that those procedures include a right to arbitration or adjudication by an independent referee or body in cases where (by reason of an equality of votes or otherwise) a decision cannot otherwise be reached,
or indicates that any such employee may present a complaint to an F7employment tribunal that any such employer or other person has not complied with those provisions.
(4)
An order under this section may confer on an industrial tribunal to whom a complaint is presented as mentioned in subsection (3) such powers and duties as the Secretary of State considers appropriate.
(5)
An order under this section may be varied or revoked by a subsequent order thereunder either in pursuance of an application made by all or any of the parties to the agreement in question or without any such application.