REDUNDANCY LAWS RELAXED FOR EMPLOYERS

t The Government yesterday introduced new regulations which mean that employers will not be forced to consult recognised unions over redundancies.

Instead companies can elect to inform other non-union employees' representatives.

A European Court of Justice ruling given against the UK in 1994 criticised British law for restricting consultations to unions.

The Government also introduced rules which limit the obligation to consult employees only where there are 20 redundancies or more. The present regulations stipulate that there should be consultations over two or more job losses.

The Department of Trade and Industry estimated yesterday that it would remove the requirement to consult from some 96 per cent of businesses.