UNISON has welcomed a decision by the UK’s top court that means its fight can continue against imposition of ‘punitive’ fees to take a case to tribunal.

The Supreme Court has granted the union permission to continue its legal challenge. UNISON says since the fees were introduced three years ago, the number of claims has plummeted as workers have been forced to find fees of between £160 and £1,200 before they can pursue a case. Claims related to victimisation for raising safety concerns fall into the top-priced category.

UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: “Three years ago the government introduced tribunal fees, immediately making it much harder for employees – especially those on low incomes – to challenge bosses who break the law. Unsurprisingly employment tribunal claims have since dropped by 70 per cent. As a result it’s too easy for bad employers to escape justice. Many low-wage workers now have to put up with unfair or discriminatory treatment simply because they cannot afford to take a case.”

Last August the Court of Appeal rejected a UNISON appeal, but described the case as ‘troubling’, and expressed a “strong suspicion that so large a decline [in claims] is unlikely to be accounted for entirely by cases of ‘won’t pay’ and it must also reflect at least some cases of ‘can’t pay’.”

Supplied by the TUC.