Roebuck v NUM (Yorkshire Area) No 2

This legal case, Roebuck v NUM (Yorkshire Area) No 2 (1985), is a significant case in United Kingdom labour law, specifically concerning the powers of a trade union executive committee to discipline its members. It followed an earlier case, Roebuck v NUM (Yorkshire Area) No 1.

The case arose from the context of the 1984-85 miners' strike. The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), and specifically its Yorkshire Area, was deeply divided over the strike. Some miners continued to work, defying the union's call for industrial action.

Roebuck v NUM (Yorkshire Area) No 2 dealt with the legality of disciplinary action taken by the Yorkshire Area of the NUM against miners who crossed picket lines and continued working during the strike. The central issue was whether the union's executive committee had acted within its powers, as defined by the union's rules, when it expelled or otherwise disciplined these members.

The courts examined the union's rulebook and interpreted the scope of the executive committee's authority. The legal arguments centered on whether the actions of the miners constituted a breach of union rules and whether the disciplinary procedures followed were fair and in accordance with natural justice.

The outcome of the case had implications for the ability of trade unions to enforce discipline amongst their members during industrial disputes. It also clarified the responsibilities of union officials to act fairly and within the bounds of their own constitution and rules when dealing with disciplinary matters. The ruling helped to define the relationship between union members and their executive bodies, particularly concerning the limits of disciplinary power.