Employment_Act_1980
Employment Act 1980
United Kingdom legislation
The Employment Act 1980[1] (c. 42) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, passed under the first term of Margaret Thatcher's premiership and mainly relating to trade unions.
Quick Facts Long title, Citation ...
| Act of Parliament | |
| Long title | An Act to provide for payments out of public funds towards trade unions’ expenditure in respect of ballots, for the use of employers’ premises in connection with ballots, and for the issue by the Secretary of State of Codes of Practice for the improvement of industrial relations; to make provision in respect of exclusion or expulsion from trade unions and otherwise to amend the law relating to workers, employers, trade unions and employers’ associations; to repeal section 1A of the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act 1974; and for connected purposes. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 1980 c. 42 |
| Territorial extent | Paragraph 7 of schedule 1 extended to Northern Ireland, but otherwise the act did not extend there.[2] |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 1 August 1980 |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Revised text of statute as amended | |
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It restricted the definition of lawful picketing 'strictly to those who were themselves party to the dispute and who were picketing at the premises of their own employer'.[3]
It also introduced ballots on the existence of closed shops, and at least 80% of the workers in a particular industry need to support them for their maintenance.
- The citation of this Act by this short title was authorised by section 21(1) of this Act. Due to the repeal of that provision, it is now authorised by section 19(2) of the Interpretation Act 1978.
- The Employment Act 1980, section 21(4) (repealed)
- Thatcher, Margaret (1993). The Downing Street Years. London: Harper Collins. p. 99. ISBN 0 00 638321 1.
- B A Hepple, Paul O'Higgins and Lord Wedderburn of Charlton. Sweet & Maxwell's Labour Relations Statutes and Materials. Second Edition. Sweet & Maxwell. London. 1983. ISBN 0 421 32010 9. pp 446–457.