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'Clergy set for biggest boost in employment conditions in 500 years', according to union

02/10/2008 12:00:00


[Update: see story in today's Church Times: Diocese accepts priest in harassment case is ‘worker’]

Unite is claiming that the case of Reverend Mark Sharpe, Rector of Teme Valley South in Worcestershire, will have significant implications for the employment rights of ministers. From their website:

Should Revd. Sharpe’s case be upheld after any appeal, it will mean that ministers across the UK will be subject to legislation covering: health & safety, the national minimum wage, paid holidays, ‘whistle-blowing’, anti-discrimination, paid holidays, family-friendly flexible working policies, the working time directive, and unlawful deduction of wages.

Rachael Maskell, Unite’s National Officer, Community and Non Profit Sector said: ‘We are poised for the biggest raft of employment benefits for ministers in the Church of England since it came into being under Henry VIII’s Reformation in the 1530s. It will also have implications for other faith groups.’


The union is claiming that that the Church of England has conceded for the first time that its ministers are employed by the Church rather than by God.

However, the Church is denying that the case will have such implications. From Charity Finance website Church denies union claims of employment rights revolution:

The Church, however, says that the tribunal case has no impact on the status of any clergy outside the case itself. Agreeing to consider Revd. Sharpe a ‘worker’ was a requirement to allow the case to move forward, said Sam Setchell, a spokesperson for the Diocese of Worcester.

“The Unite union is making much of a legal technicality that is part of the normal preliminaries to a tribunal. It does not have the wide-ranging implications claimed,” said Ben Wilson, a spokesman for the Church of England. “As the union themselves concede, this case is still in its preliminary stages.”


The BBC reported on the case on Monday, although their piece does not include the responses from church spokespeople.

Rev. Mark Sharpe was appointed to the post in 2005. He claims that during his time there he has been subjected to verbal abuse and that his vicarage is infested by mice and frogs, has dangerous heating and electrical systems and contains asbestos. In 2006 Rev. Sharpe sued the Ministry of Defence for sexual harassment (Links: 1, 2). A number of other news reports from around the same time point to difficulties within the parish (Links: 1, 2, 3). 

The Draft Ecclesiastical Offices (Terms of Service) Measure, which, if I understand it correctly will give clergy greater legal rights, was approved at General Synod in July 2008 (Church Times report, Church of England page).


minimum wage - irrelevant
paid holiday - got it already
health and safety legislation - a lot of it nonsensical nannying
flexible working - do it already
working time directive - that will be interesting!!!
deduction of wages - is anyone aware of this being a problem?

I also wonder if this will be a double-edged sword - if it brings the church under this legislation, then could it be used against clergy as well as for them.

This all sounds very difficult, shame it's come to this.

David Keen | 02/10/2008 16:06:57

How very sad to see so many taken in by the Church authorities' self delusion. Yes, of course the leaders of the Church try to be good and kind to people. But to assume that they mange this all the time and that there is no need to provide some kind of defence when it goes wrong is not supported by experience.
In the case of Mark Sharpe the Church system has left a priest vulnerable and unprotected - suffering real harm and no support from his Diocese. There has to be some way of defending him

Christopher Elson | 03/10/2008 12:02:13

Can the Rev Mark Sharpe contact me via my email address please

Ian | 07/10/2008 17:06:43




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