Workplace Rights & Protections (Edexcel GCSE Citizenship Studies): Revision Note

The role and origins of trade unions

• Trade unions are associations of workers

  • They represent employees in a particular job or industry

• Their main aim is to maintain or improve conditions of employment

  • This includes pay, working hours, safety and job security

• Trade unions developed during the Industrial Revolution

  • Workers faced long hours, low pay and unsafe conditions

  • Individual workers had little power against employers so workers joined together for protection and fairness

Types of trade unions

The work of trade unions

• Workers pay a monthly fee to join a trade union

  • The fee is called a subscription

  • Their membership ends when they stop paying this fee

• Benefits of union membership include the following:

  • Collective bargaining

  • Job-specific training

  • Legal representation in disputes

  • Discounts on a wide range of goods/services 

• When collective bargaining fails and discussions break down, trade unions have several methods of forcing employers/governments to continue engaging with them

  • These methods are collectively referred to as "industrial action" and include the following:

    • Strikes

    • Overtime bans

    • Work to rule

    • Go-slows

The focus of trade union efforts 

What rights do workers have?

The right to be paid at least the National Minimum Wage

• Workers must be paid a legal minimum hourly rate

  • Rates vary depending on age and whether the worker is an apprentice

• This right protects workers from exploitation

  • Prevents employers paying extremely low wages

  • E.g. A retail worker being paid below the minimum wage can make a legal complaint and receive back pay

The right to safe working conditions

• Workers have the right to work in an environment that does not put their health at risk

  • This includes protection from dangerous equipment, chemicals or unsafe buildings

• Employers must assess and reduce risks in the workplace

  • E.g. Construction workers must be provided with safety equipment such as helmets and harnesses

• Employers are legally required to follow health and safety regulations

  • This includes training staff and providing safety equipment

• These laws are enforced by organisations such as the Health and Safety Executive

The right not to be unfairly dismissed

• Employees cannot be dismissed without a fair reason

  • Fair reasons include misconduct or redundancy

• Employers must follow a fair procedure before dismissal

  • E.g. A worker dismissed without warning or explanation may take the case to an employment tribunal

Protection from discrimination

• Workers must be treated fairly at work

  • Discrimination based on personal characteristics is illegal

• This protects equality and dignity in the workplace

  • E.g. An employee cannot be treated unfairly because of their age or gender

• The Equality Act 2010 protects workers from discrimination

  • Covers protected characteristics such as race, sex, disability, religion and age

  • Employers must make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees

    • E.g. An employer providing flexible working hours for a disabled worker

The right to join a trade union

• Workers have the legal right to join or leave a trade union

  • Employers cannot punish workers for union membership

• Trade unions provide collective support and representation

  • E.g. A worker can ask their union to represent them in a dispute with their employer

How workers are protected

• As explained above, the rights of members of trade unions are protected through collective bargaining and representation in the workplace

• Workers' rights may also be represented by staff associations and, in some cases, by tribunals