Spanish Practices

The terms Spanish Practices or old Spanish customs are United Kingdom expressions that refer to irregular or restrictive practices in workers' interests. Typically, these are arrangements that have been negotiated in the past between employers and unions.

The issue arises because, in United Kingdom law, a contract of employment consists of both expressed and implied terms. Implied terms can arise through "custom and practice". Historically, alteration of these terms has been by negotiation and collective bargaining.

For example, if it has been the habit to release staff when the day's work is done (such as, today's newspaper is printed), then that becomes the de facto contract of employment. If some workers are required to stay on to do additional tasks, then it may be more convenient to pay these workers to do so (since otherwise they are not being treated equitably and/or have no incentive to do so). Over many years of incremental negotiation, the original rationale may be lost and a point reached where all workers are being paid a supplement merely to complete a normal shift. With the benefit of hindsight, such an arrangement might be described as a "Spanish practice".

The expression was widely used in reporting the strikes at Royal Mail, the UK’s national postal service, which started in October 2007, after the term was used in an interview by Royal Mail Chief Executive Adam Crozier. Crozier described as "cobblers" claims by the Communication Workers Union (UK) deputy general secretary Dave Ward that the way Royal Mail made its employees work amounted to "slavery". According to Crozier, Royal Mail was "only trying to make people work the hours for which they were paid". He claimed there were 1,442 Spanish practices at Royal Mail a few years ago, and these had now been cut to 92. One example of such practices was paid overtime within normal working hours, for example after workers completed their scheduled delivery rounds early. Earlier, the term old Spanish customs was used in 1986 in reference to long-lasting industrial action in Fleet Street, traditionally the home of the UK’s newspaper industry, for example the Wapping dispute.