HM Government of Gibraltar has tabled a Bill to amend the Employment Act to enshrine workers’ rights in law in the event that the company or organisation they work for changes ownership.

This Bill, based on the UK’s TUPE legislation, is limited to making provision to ensure that where a contract to provide services changes hands, the employees’ terms and conditions are protected. The Government of Gibraltar made manifesto commitments in 2019 and again in 2023 to observing these provisions and guaranteeing workers similar protections under Gibraltar law. Therefore, the Bill formalises many rights that are already common realities in Gibraltar.

The Government and Unite the Union have collaborated closely on bringing into effect this important protection for employees when they transfer to a new employer.

The Chief Minister, the Hon Fabian Picardo KC MP, said: ‘I’m proud to announce this important step forward for employees in Gibraltar, guaranteeing in our law the rights and protections that they already enjoy in practice. This is a further positive outcome of the very constructive relationship that the Government has built with Unite the Union, and demonstrates the real, positive effect that this relationship has for workers and the wider community.

‘Whilst this Government has observed these protections for a number of years, we cannot take this for granted if there were to be a change of government. That is why it is important that these rights are protected by the law with effect from today, and tomorrow, which belongs to all workers, all workers in Gibraltar have something to celebrate.’