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Employment Bill [HL]

My Lords, I assure the noble Lord that the TUC has expressed its concerns not just to my noble friend Lady Turner but to many others. However, I suspect that, when the TUC looks at the amendment and the principles that I expounded, not only will it begin to recognise that Britain’s ability to meet its obligations and the preservation of trade unions as free democratic organisations have been safeguarded, but it will, I am sure, be the first to accept that individual members’ rights to redress—not just to remedies, but to proper protection—have been ensured. Furthermore, if the Bill, when it reaches the statute book, is applied in the spirit in which it is intended, it can only strengthen the power and authority of the trade union movement. The TUC will be stronger and it will support the Bill.