Firefighters’ union hails “workers’ revolt” as protesters rally against anti-union laws

The House of Commons will today vote on the Minimum Service Levels Bill. Thousands of workers are expected to rally outside in protest at the proposed laws.

The Bill has been amended heavily by the House of Lords, and the government is seeking to overturn these amendments today.

Last month, Scotland First Minister Humza Yousaf declared that the Scottish Government would “not issue a single work notice” under the proposed legislation.

Speaking ahead of the vote, Fire Brigades Union General Secretary Matt Wrack said:

“MPs must vote down this anti-worker legislation.

“The UK already has the most restrictive anti-union laws in the developed world, and the result of this is that we have suffered from falling wages and sharper exploitation.

“An inspiring wave of resistance has swept the country in the past year. But instead of negotiating with workers, this government of millionaires is seeking to have key workers sacked and victimised. They want to drive wages down even further so their big business backers can cash in.

“There is a growing movement of resistance to this legislation – with at least one devolved administration saying it won’t issue work notices, and the FBU committed to building a mass movement of non-compliance if it becomes law.

“We are seeing a workers’ revolt against hard right government with no mandate for its policies. That revolt will continue whatever happens today.”