Firms after govt work must promote unions

15/07/2008

Companies after government contracts will have to promote union membership, the Times has reported.

The paper said a joint statement will be made today between ministers, trade unions and business leaders.

Gordon Brown reassured voters, "we are not returning to trade union legislation which is written by trade unions themselves".

The new agreement, seen by the Times, will tell private sector employees who are working for the government, they cannot be penalised for joining a union.

The Labour Party receives much of its funding from unions and stronger ties between the two worry some executives.

Mark Fox, chief executive of the Business Services Association, told the paper: "We would be extremely anxious about any further increase in the bureaucracy and red tape that private-sector companies have to go through for public-sector contracts."

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