Commenting on the announcement from Employment Minister Norman Lamb, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:
“The current 90-day consultation rules on redundancy are working perfectly well. Any reduction in the time period in which employers must consult with their workforce over potential job losses will make what is already a deeply unsettling time much more difficult for everyone involved.
“The government is in danger of confusing quality with quantity. Shortening the notice period will not lead to a better process. It takes time for unions and employers to consider carefully what alternatives there may be to job losses and what the impact on the remaining workforce will be. Unions have shown time and time again they understand the pressures that companies are under in a tough economic climate and have come up with many innovative ways of saving jobs.
“We are pleased however that the government is not intending to change the system for protective awards where employers fail to consult over planned redundancies.”
