Unite the Union and Mr H Beckett

Case Summary

Mr Edwards brought three combined claims against Unite the Union and Mr Howard Beckett, alleging victimisation under the Equality Act 2010 and unjustifiable discipline under trade union law. The claims related to the union's decision to refuse legal assistance and other matters arising after a previous tribunal hearing (the Slater Judgment). The tribunal found that all complaints failed and were dismissed.

The tribunal found that the claimant's complaints of victimisation and unjustifiable discipline were not established. The decision to refuse legal assistance was justified based on the claimant's previous termination of his retainer with Slater and Gordon Solicitors and his consistent failure to cooperate with the union's officers and legal advisors, findings which had already been made in the earlier Slater Judgment.

Use these claim-type pages to compare this decision with other published tribunal cases, outcome patterns, and visible award data.

• •Victimisation under section 27 of the Equality Act 2010
• •Unjustifiable discipline under the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 section 65
• •Whether the claimant was victimised by Unite the Union for protected acts
• •Whether the claimant was unjustifiably disciplined by the union
• •Union's decision to refuse legal assistance to the claimant
• •Whether allegations made by the claimant were made in bad faith

Case No: 2402745/2021, 2402470/2022 and 2407114/2022 EMPLOYMENT TRIBUNALS Claimant: Mr J Edwards Respondent: (1) Unite the Union (2) Mr Howard Beckett Heard at: Manchester Employment Tribunal On: 07, 08, 09, 10, 11 and 14 October 2024, 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27 February 2026 and 02 March 2026 04, 05 and 06 March 2026 (in Chambers) Before: Employment Judge M Butler Representation Claimant: Self-representing Respondent: (1) Mr M Potter (2) Self-representing JUDGMENT 1. The complaints of victimisation pursuant to s.27 of the Equality Act 2010 fail in their entirety and are dismissed. 2. The complaints of unjustifiable discipline under the Trade Union and Labour 3. Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 fail in their entirety and are dismissed. 4. For the avoidance of doubt, all complaints brought as part of these proceedings have failed and are dismissed. REASONS INTRODUCTION 5. Where a document is contained in the pleadings bundle, reference will be Case No: 2402745/2021, 2402470/2022 and 2407114/2022 made to ‘PB’ after the page number being referred to. Where there is just a page number then this is referring to the main bundle. The Tribunal will refer to the supplemental bundle for documents contained in that. 6. This case was brought by the claimant through the presentation of three claim forms. The first was presented on 02 April 2021 (pp.1-30 PB). The second claim form was presented on 02 April 2022 (pp.63-90 PB). And the third claim form was presented on 09 September 2022 (pp.108-125 PB). The three claims were combined, were case managed together and have been heard together at this final hearing. The combined claim will be referred to as the claim for ease (however, where they are discussed separately it will be made clear in this judgment). 7. This claim relat…