“It’s time for an urgent rethink” – TUC calls on ministers to ditch plans to sack workers for exercising their right to strike
- Strikes bill back in the Commons today (Wednesday)
- UN workers’ rights watchdog slaps down UK government over its anti-union drive
The TUC has today (Wednesday) called for an urgent rethink from government on plans to sack workers for exercising their right to strike.
The call comes as the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill returns to the Commons – after another defeat in the Lords as peers voted for amendments to stop workers being sacked for striking.
If passed without the amendment, the Bill will mean that when workers lawfully vote to strike in health, education, fire, transport, border security and nuclear decommissioning, they could be forced to attend work – and sacked if they don’t comply.
The union body says the UK will become “an international outlier” if the Bill is passed.
The UK’s actions have already come under scrutiny from international organisations. Last week, the UN workers’ rights watchdog, the ILO, slapped down the UK government over its anti-union agenda and demanded it respect international law.
1 in 5 workers
The TUC is calling for the draconian Strikes Bill to be scrapped in its entirety.
The union body says that the right to strike of a massive 1 in 5 workers in Britain is at risk because of the Bill.
That means 5.5 million workers in England, Scotland and Wales could be affected by the legislation.
The EHRC recently warned that the legislation could see all striking workers in affected sectors losing their unfair dismissal protection as whole strikes could be deemed illegal.
The Bill will give ministers the power to impose new minimum service levels through regulation – but MPs have been given few details on how minimum service levels are intended to operate.
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said:
“Today, MPs on all sides must stand up for working people and for our fundamental right to strike.
“No one should be sacked for trying to win a better deal at work.
“That’s why peers have done the right thing and voted to stop nurses, teachers, firefighters and other public sector workers getting sacked for exercising their right to strike.
“Politicians, employers and rights groups are all queuing up to condemn this spiteful Bill.
“It’s time for an urgent rethink – ministers must ditch these pernicious plans and protect the right to strike.”
