“This legislation will remove the legal immunity for strikes where unions fail to implement a minimum level of service. The strikes will be illegal."
In a desperate bid to pit striking workers, who are struggling during the cost of living crisis, against the public, the government is bringing forward new anti-strike laws, attacking workers and their right to strike.
According to the Times, the government is bringing forward new anti-strike laws, which will empower bosses to sue unions and sack staff in crucial sectors if minimum service levels aren’t maintained. The legislation, covering health, education, rail, fire and borders, could be unveiled as early as today.
A source told the Times: “This legislation will remove the legal immunity for strikes where unions fail to implement a minimum level of service. The strikes will be illegal. Ultimately people could be fired for breach of contract.”
The proposed new laws have been condemned by trade unions, who are likely to challenge any such laws in court.
Aslef boss Mick Whelan told Sky News that new anti-strike laws could lead to “longer strife and a different form of action”.
He said: “We’re currently – with 11 other trade unions – taking legal action against the last set of laws they put in place, and we would look at doing that in future as well,” Mr Whelan warned.
“And I think if the government gets away with what it’s doing, we’ll be left with an inherently unsafe railway system.”
Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves said that the Labour Party would not be supporting the government’s new proposals.
She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “If you say that people can’t take industrial action, to say that we’re going from clapping our nurses to sacking them for taking industrial action – which is what the government is now threatening – the idea that that’s going to produce outcomes and reduce delays for patients, that’s just for the birds.”
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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