LABOUR said yesterday that it would scrap the Con-Dems’ system of employment tribunal fees, but refused to commit to abolishing all charges.

Addressing TUC congress yesterday, shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna slammed the “unfair” and “unsustainable” system for locking people out of the justice they were entitled to.

“Affordability should not be a barrier to workplace justice,” he said.

“But it would be a mistake to simply return to the system of the past, where tribunals were so slow that meaningful justice was not available.”

Pressed by union activists to commit to abolishing all fees in the question and answer session following the debate, Mr Umunna said that it was unacceptable to bill workers earning barely above the minimum wage for challenging their bosses — but implied that charges would remain for higher earners.

Thompsons Solicitors chief executive Stephen Cavalier added: “Any new system must ensure that all workers have access to justice to enforce their rights at work and get proper redress.”

Mr Umunna also told construction union Ucatt delegate Stuart Grice that Labour would consider making blacklisting a criminal offence.

“I am open to whether criminal liability applies to this,” he said. “I don’t want to prejudge the inquiry I have promised.”

Ucatt general secretary Steve Murphy welcomed the news.

“With every day that passes the construction companies that blacklisted workers and ruined their lives are seeing the net tighten around them,” he said.

“There will be no hiding place for blacklisters.”