This government protects privacy for bankers – but not for trade union members

One rule for bankers, another for trade union members? That’s what Thompsons Solicitors has accused the Coalition government of, when it comes to keeping personal records private.

The government has challenged an EU law about bankers’ bonuses, saying that a cap on bonuses would invade bankers’ privacy. Yesterday, the UK lodged a complaint against the bonus cap with the European Court of Justice.

But at the same time, government ministers are using Part III of the Lobbying Bill to force trade unions to hand over their members’ personal details.

Leading employment law firm Thompsons Solicitors says the government has used a privacy argument to protect the bankers from tough EU laws – whilst at the same time ‘riding roughshod’ over trade union members’ right to privacy:

“The government’s argument that the operation of a bonus cap fails to protect personal data stands in stark contrast to the powers it wants to give itself in relation to the membership details of more than seven million British trade union members.

Part 3 of the Transparency of Lobbying, Non-Party Campaigning and Trade Union Administration Bill gives the state alarming powers to require unions to hand over membership records and private correspondence.”

Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls told the Guardian:

“It tells you everything about David Cameron’s government that while Labour are saying ‘let’s get energy prices down for families, let’s help families with childcare, let’s get people back to work,’ he’s sending his chancellor to Brussels to stand up for bankers and bankers’ bonuses.”

Labour have also opposed the attack on trade unions which comes in the Lobbying Bill; Angela Eagle MP told the BBC she thought the Bill was ‘sinister’ and ‘partisan’.