The Supreme Court will today and tomorrow hear three appeals relating to civil servants employed by the Home Office, DEFRA and HMRC. All employees are members of the appellant trade union, the Public and Commercial Services Union.
The Supreme Court will be considering whether the PCS, as a third party to the employment contracts, can enforce a term providing for a facility for “check-off” arrangements, whereby employees’ trade union subscriptions were deducted directly from their salaries through the payroll system and then paid to PCS. The case is the first to reach the Supreme Court on the meaning and application of the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999.
Daniel Stilitz KC is representing the respondents, leading Jack Feeny of No 5, and instructed by the Government Legal Department on behalf of DEFRA, HMRC and the Home Office.
