£0.5million for BECTU members

The union's lawyers have won more than £0.5million for members in just four months.

Legal cases settled between March and the end of June this year resulted in payments totalling £501,466. The greatest awards came from personal injury cases, with the highest individual payment being £150,000; however unfair dismissal also featured strongly in the payments.

BECTU's free legal assistance for members and their families involved in road accidents has been used increasingly - an editor won £5,000 whilst a boom operator won £3,000.

The union's legal officer Andy Egan commented: "In an ideal world, members would never need our legal services. Unfortunately the reality is that people have accidents and employers are not angels. When the need arises, our lawyers are second to none."