'Today sends a very clear message to the government', Paul Nowak.

Half a million public sector workers were left with little choice but to withdraw their labour today.

In a synchronised series of strikes, the single biggest day of industrial action in more than a decade, workers from across the public sector took part in the mass walkout.

The day also coincided with a national protest movement in response to the government’s anti-strike legislation, currently being pushed rapidly through parliament.

In coordination, the National Education Union led a mass rally through central London which witnessed overwhelming crowds of supporters with placards and banners.

Mick Lynch, General Secretary of RMT, joined Mary Bousted, General Secretary of the NEU at the front of the march in a show of union solidarity.

Although not representative of a general strike, today’s synchronised strike action and the extent of support for rallies across the country backing striking and workers’ rights is arguably significant.

Travelling across central London, it was difficult to avoid stumbling across a picket line, taking in the honking horns and waves of public support that accompanied.

Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy told us from a teacher’s picket line this morning she believes today will send a clear message to the government.

“I think the impact of having so many people on strike today is going to have a major blow to government,” said Ribeiro-Addy.

“Even with the strikes the government are digging their heels in. They have lost the argument on pay and conditions and what are they trying to do, change the law to force people to work.

“It’s really important we show that politicians are actually supporting these workers and it’s not what the government say it is, there is a lot of support for strikes.”

Paul Nowak, General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), joined the education worker’s rally before heading to Downing Street to hand-in a petition, now signed by nearly 300,000 people, to protect the right to strike. 

Labelled draconian and authoritarian, the anti-strike legislation would mean workers could be forced to work and sacked if they don’t.

Talking to LFF this morning, Nowak called out the government’s handling of strike action and the ‘spiteful’ anti-strike legislation.

“Today sends a very clear message to the government that hundreds of thousands of people will stand up for the right to strike, hundreds of thousands of people are standing up for our public services and crucially, hundreds and thousands of people are taking industrial action for a decent pay rise.

“Any serious employer would be sitting down trying to work out why so many workers are taking strike action, how do we response and deliver on pay.

“Instead, the government is just trying to legislate the problems out of existence and it won’t work and even the government’s own impact assessments have said this will just prolong disputes and worsen industrial relations.

“It’s spiteful, bad legislation.”

He added: “The first worker that gets sacked as a result for this legislation, there will be a huge legal and industrial response from our unions.”

Nowak also called out Rishi Sunak on his 100th day of being Prime Minster, for having yet to meet a senior trade union leader in the country.

Other union leaders have also recognised the significance of days like today and the shifting public support.

Dave Ward of the CWU recently expressed his hope for more coordinated union action in the future and emphasised the need for greater cooperation.

Last October a motion was passed at the TUC conference that recognised ‘the collective’ as the ‘real power of the trade union movement’.

With the government failing to provide sufficient offers at the negotiating table and union members willing to stay out for as long as it takes for a fair deal, we will have to wait and see what today means in real terms for workers.

Hannah Davenport is trade union reporter at Left Foot Forward

(Photo credits: Hannah Davenport)

Left Foot Forward’s trade union reporting is supported by the Barry Amiel and Norman Melburn Trust

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