TUC report shows compensation level increases

Trades unions have won members a total of £14.3 million in compensation payments this year, a report has revealed.

Trades unions have won members a total of £14.3 million in compensation payments this year, a report has revealed.

The amount is a marked increase in payment levels made through employment tribunals and comes in addition to an upsurge in the general level of compensation payments made in connection with workplace claims.

Unions are lauding the annual increases and point to research, recently undertaken by the TUC, which indicates that nine out of 10 union-brokered cases resulted in either compromise or victory.

Marked increases in payouts were particularly acute for sex discrimination cases which increased to an average £9,000 - an jump of £2,000 compared to 1998. The greatest payouts recorded for 1999 included £500,000 for race discrimination and £300,000 for wrongful dismissal.

The TUC has pointed to the fact that workers backed by their union won "significantly higher" compensation.