UNISON will be in the High Court later this month arguing for the government’s savage Employment Tribunal fees to be scrapped.
Ranging from £160 to almost £1,000 – tens of thousands of people have been unable to afford to defend themselves since the introduction of these unfair fees last year.
The number of workers who have been priced out of justice is staggering. Up to 40,000 fewer claims are being heard every three months. Overall claims are down 81%. Sex discrimination claims down 86%. Equal pay claims down 80%. The sorry tale goes on.
The importance of our case is not lost on the courts. The date of our hearing is being fast-tracked by the High Court as a result of the extraordinary impact that these unfair fees are having.
The statistics don’t lie. If the government doesn’t scrap these fees altogether, it is effectively rolling out the welcome mat for unscrupulous employers. And we must not let that happen.