Post by Derek Moore on Aug 29, 2013 3:50:24 GMT
In another attack on the rights of the working man the Government has made it illegal for union solicitors to do free (pro-bono) work in return for doing the unions personal injury work. It has also banned unions from recovering insurance premiums on members personnel injury cases, formally the RMT takes the risk by self insuring its members by running cases for compensation which high street firms would probably refuse to take on.
This means that now Thompson’s solicitors have to charge for all employment advice and any free advice on non employment matters and the unions cannot use the insurance fund to help members fund future cases.
As a result the RMT union has taken the decision to take these matters in house and has set up its own legal department to circumnavigate the new laws. Something which lager unions with significant members can cost administer as against smaller unions who will find the costs prohibitive. The RMT has therefore engaged the services of an employment solicitor, a legal secretary/administrator and with a legal officer will be able to deliver legal services.
As of the 1st August the union has established the RMT Advice Line on 0800 376 3706 for England & Wales and 0800 328 1014 for Scotland. The lines will be staffed by the RMT industrial relations department who currently advise members on work related and union matters. The lines will be open Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 18:00 and on Saturdays from 09: to 16:00.
The criminal helpline 0765 911 8181for England & Wales and 0800 328 1014 for Scotland will be open 24 hours a day to help members and their families if arrested and questions under caution in or out of work.
The advice team aim to assist members with preliminary advice and where specialist legal assistance is required point members in the right direction. When a member requires specialist legal services the union will recommend an appropriate organization that has been approved by the union (probably Thompsons) to assist and take up the case and won’t rip the members off with exorbitant charges.
The employment advice and representation procedure remains unchanged. If a work related employment problem that requires advice from the legal team the member should contact their regional office ASAP and complete the L2 form (also downloadable for the RMT site at www.rmt.org.uk/news/publications/l2-form/?preview=true) which you should send ASAP with all supporting document to the regional office.
The regional staff will assist in assembling the documents required and do membership checks and the RMT will decide whether the members’ representation should be provided. If you have an employment issue you must complete the L2 form in good time and note that most employment cases have very strict time limits of only 3 months now less 1 day to lodge a complaint to an employment tribunal application. Any later and the courts will reject the application. So don’t delay the issue especially if you work away on irregular patterns of work.
The RMT legal team will undertake to give a preliminary opinion of the merits of the case within seven working days by a written document, telephone or face to face meeting whichever is the most convenient bearing in mind the new time constraint limits.
If the union decides there is a case then they will pay all the tribunal costs and ensure the member is represented at any hearings.
This means that now Thompson’s solicitors have to charge for all employment advice and any free advice on non employment matters and the unions cannot use the insurance fund to help members fund future cases.
As a result the RMT union has taken the decision to take these matters in house and has set up its own legal department to circumnavigate the new laws. Something which lager unions with significant members can cost administer as against smaller unions who will find the costs prohibitive. The RMT has therefore engaged the services of an employment solicitor, a legal secretary/administrator and with a legal officer will be able to deliver legal services.
As of the 1st August the union has established the RMT Advice Line on 0800 376 3706 for England & Wales and 0800 328 1014 for Scotland. The lines will be staffed by the RMT industrial relations department who currently advise members on work related and union matters. The lines will be open Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 18:00 and on Saturdays from 09: to 16:00.
The criminal helpline 0765 911 8181for England & Wales and 0800 328 1014 for Scotland will be open 24 hours a day to help members and their families if arrested and questions under caution in or out of work.
The advice team aim to assist members with preliminary advice and where specialist legal assistance is required point members in the right direction. When a member requires specialist legal services the union will recommend an appropriate organization that has been approved by the union (probably Thompsons) to assist and take up the case and won’t rip the members off with exorbitant charges.
The employment advice and representation procedure remains unchanged. If a work related employment problem that requires advice from the legal team the member should contact their regional office ASAP and complete the L2 form (also downloadable for the RMT site at www.rmt.org.uk/news/publications/l2-form/?preview=true) which you should send ASAP with all supporting document to the regional office.
The regional staff will assist in assembling the documents required and do membership checks and the RMT will decide whether the members’ representation should be provided. If you have an employment issue you must complete the L2 form in good time and note that most employment cases have very strict time limits of only 3 months now less 1 day to lodge a complaint to an employment tribunal application. Any later and the courts will reject the application. So don’t delay the issue especially if you work away on irregular patterns of work.
The RMT legal team will undertake to give a preliminary opinion of the merits of the case within seven working days by a written document, telephone or face to face meeting whichever is the most convenient bearing in mind the new time constraint limits.
If the union decides there is a case then they will pay all the tribunal costs and ensure the member is represented at any hearings.