As part of a series of articles from the various groups that we host on our Liberty Wall, the following is from the Chairman of the National Liberal Trade Unionists, Glen Nicklasson:

Are we heading back to a by-gone age where employer’s had ‘absolute power’ over their employee’s. The most extreme version of this is the obscene slave-trade of previous centuries. Now, I’m not implying that the present government is trying to re-introduce slavery, but they certainly are trying to erode workers rights by increasing the period of time before you can claim unfair dismissal from 1 to 2 years, plus proposing that sacked employee’s provide a financial bond before applying to a tribunal. Well connected friends of theirs would like to see the offence of ‘unfair dismissal’ abolished all together!

Well, what has this got to do with Magna Carta you may ask? Well the same principle applies, King John of England, who was a corrupt, absolute monarch, angered all those under his influence by exercising that ‘absolute power’. The ‘absolute power’ was resisted by the barons under him and they eventually persuaded King John to adopt the Magna Carta that acknowledged that their rights should not be abused. Equally, as a Trade Unionist I would urge you all to resist moves to recreate an employer’s ‘absolute power’ and to mark Magna Carta Day on Friday by signing the petition to Protect Employment Rights by signing the petition at http://www.gopetition.com/petition/43004.html.