英國裁員解僱保護立法：理論、實際與衝擊

British Protective Legislation against Redundancy: Theory, Practice and Impact

本文主要的核心議題是討論英國裁員解僱保護立法的理論與實務，基本的議題包括解僱保護的法理基礎，英國的裁員解僱保護法，法律的效果的和衝擊。英國的勞動市場彈性化的政策，主導勞工及就業保護法之立法方向將近二十年，這個針對解除管制與創造有利投資環競的政策，不僅使英國的失業率明顯下降，卻也使英國的勞動關係體系產生變化。
本文認為以工作權為基礎的裁員解僱保護法，有利於正當化裁員解僱的保護，也可以合理化國家對雇主裁員解僱的行為的「程序上限制」與「實體上限制」。其次，英國的裁員解僱保護法可歸納為三階段的保護流程，同時，在勞工之工作安定及雇主之經營管理權間試圖尋求一個平衡點。其三，裁員解僱法雖然在某種程度上提供就業安定之保護，但是對集體勞工的團結以抵抗解僱，確有負面的衝擊。
總之，英國採取歐洲勞動法之許可範圍內的最低標準來保護個別勞工的工作權益，不僅勞資關係受到影響，也強化了勞動市場之彈性、效率及維持其競爭力。

The primary aim of this article is to address the theory and practice of British protective legislation against redundancy/dismissal. The basic topics explored by the author embrace the legal basis of dismissal protection, the analysis of British protection laws against redundancy, and the impact and effect of these laws. The policy of making labour market flexible has been led in the direction of labour and employment legislation for almost twenty years. A policy directed toward "deregulation" and creating an advantageous environment for investments not only brings down unemployment, but also transforms the British industrial relations system. The article, firstly, argues that the dismissal law based on the concept of ' the right to work' is conductive when legitimizing protective legislation against redundancy. Moreover, this helps to rationalize the fact that the state imposes procedural restraints and substantive restraints on the dismissal authority of employers. Secondly, the British protective law against redundancy can be categorised and understood as the protective machinery with three stages. Furthermore, it is clear that the law intends to strike a balance between job security needed by workers, and managerial prerogatives desired by employers. Thirdly, to some extent, the law guarantees individual employees job security, but it has negative impacts on the solidarity of collective workers resisting dismissal.