The TUC claims the government is threatening a fundamental British liberty
The government has today announced new legislation introducing new strike thresholds for ‘important public services’. It means that strikes in certain sectors – fire, health, education, transport, border security and nuclear decommissioning – will require the support of 40 per cent of union members entitled to vote and a 50 per cent turnout in order to legally go ahead.
Employment minister Nick Boles said the new law was a way of reassuring the public that any strike which causes disruption in their daily lives is justified by the backing of a reasonable proportion of union members. But unions are not convinced the case has been made.
Responding to the announcement, the TUC’s general secretary Frances O’Grady said:
“The government is set on introducing tougher measures to make it harder for teachers, doctors and other public servants to defend their jobs and the services we all rely on. Now, with government cuts making services worse for patients, pupils and passengers, staff will find it far harder to raise their concerns. And we will all feel the impact in the long-term.
“The decision to go on strike is never one people take lightly. It’s a last resort, when employers won’t listen and won’t compromise. The government is wrong to threaten this fundamental British liberty.”
She added:
“Ministers have done their utmost to try and brainwash the public into thinking that strikes are out of control. However, days lost to strike action are just a tiny fraction of what they were in the 1980s. And they accounted for a miniscule 0.0035 per cent of all working days between October 2014 and October 2015.
“These new thresholds will have the perverse effect of making abstentions more powerful in strike ballots than ‘no’ votes – and yet increasing participation in union democracy is something the government claims to want.”
Ruby Stockham is a staff writer at Left Foot Forward
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133 Responses to “Unions’ dismay as new strike law announced”
bristoleastman
No. Because you’ve misunderstood the rule. If 20% of members voted yes then the requirement that 40% *of those entitled to vote* vote yes would not be met and the strike would be illegal. In fact, to meet the requirement on a 50% turnout, 80% of voters would have to cast a positive vote.
blarg1987
How about votes on company policies in PLC’s? And the social and economic disruption they cause, should they not also be under the same trade unions laws?
Sid
But surely the union should have to get over 50% of those eligable to vote if a strike is to go ahead.
Peter Walker
This is a law passed by a government that received the support of 24% of the electorate – and most of them were duped by Cameron’s lies.
Jacko
I haven’t misunderstood the rule.
A ‘yes’ vote requires the equivalent of 20% of all members voting yes, if just the required 50% turnout was made.