Speeches by Bance.

“We know that collective bargaining raises wages and cuts inequality. What barriers to the trade union movement growing do you think the Bill will help to bring down?”

“But in the prior year, when the GMB sought statutory recognition in May/June 2023, the bargaining unit, which stood at 1,400 at the point that the GMB sought statutory recognition, increased to 2,749 in just 27 days. Is May/June a peak period of the year for your business, such that the bargaining unit would need to be…”

“Of course, you could have saved yourself all the money that you did spend by just doing voluntary recognition of the union, which is the approach that most employers would have taken. I understand that your lawyers are Eversheds—is that right? One of the ways in which you spent in the course of the recognition battle, …”

“How much did you spend on materials, consultants and other payments in response to the July 2024 ballot for statutory recognition? Your colleagues in the US, where they operate in a different industrial relations environment, as you will be aware, spent $14.2 million in 2022, attempting unsuccessfully to defeat union r…”

“The GMB described to us a campaign of intimidation and interference at Amazon in response to attempts by its members to achieve union recognition at BHX4 in Coventry. What measures did you apply to put management’s view to workers?”

“But you currently have no live access agreement, because there is no live ballot period. The answer to the question at the moment is no access—yes?”

“We are not talking about recognition. We are talking about the 37 days of industrial action at BHX4 in Coventry. Paperwork needs to be supplied to the employer that lists the reason for strike action. What was the reason given for strike action on those 37 days, in answer to my colleague’s question?”

“In order to take industrial action, a union needs to win a ballot. In order to have a legal ballot, they need to supply to the employer some paperwork that lists the reason, and it needs to be a legal reason—supporting their union is not a legal reason—as to why they wish to take strike action, for that ballot to go ah…”

“I just want to reflect on the conversation we have had. This inquiry is about the Employment Rights Bill and what it will and will not cover. I would appreciate your closing thoughts on that. For me, it feels as though we might need some sort of strengthened role for the CAC to ensure that there are better protections …”

“Thank you very much, Chair. I declare that, as is set out in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests, I was employed by the Trades Union Congress for nine years until July 2024, and I am a member of the trade union Unite.”

“From talking to union members following the ballot, when it became clear quite how close GMB had come, my understanding is that the window for challenging the ballot result was basically closed to GMB, because the law said that it had to go in within 24 hours of the ballot closing. I think, from one of the background p…”

“You have spoken about the importance of reasonable behaviour on the part of employers. We have just spent 45 minutes talking about the unreasonable behaviour of Amazon at Coventry BHX4 warehouse. Do you think its behaviour was reasonable?”

“I have appreciated the expression from both of you of the need for reasonableness on all sides. I particularly identify with the point you made about the atrophy, particularly of leadership and management skills, when it comes to strong industrial relations. Over the last couple of years, I have listened to a number of…”

“We heard earlier from some workers at BHX4 in Coventry. I am interested that you mentioned the common management practice of talking to employees, giving feedback and providing accommodation where accommodations are necessary. We heard the story of one of your employees at BHX4 who had had a heart attack and was put on…”

“Supporting a trade union is not a legal reason for people to go on strike. What was the legal reason why they went on strike, as set out in the paperwork that needs to be supplied to the employer in the relevant notice period?”

“Yes, that is right. What was the legal reason?”

“Thank you very much.”

“Chair, there are a number of matters on which Amazon representatives have agreed to write back to the Committee. Would you care to summarise them?”

“So how much was the headcount and what was the increase that you shipped in to ensure that the opportunity for statutory recognition was frustrated in May 2023?”

“Are the early spring deals in June?”