This trades council recognises the ‘Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill’ is a major attack on trade union rights. Sunak’s Conservative government are attempting draconian, undemocratic measures to curtail the right to strike.
Coming on the back of four decades of brutal Tory anti-union legislation, from that of Thatcher and Major through to Cameron, Johnson and now Sunak, it is clearly designed to cut across the strike wave across all sectors, rather than tackle the causes of the cost-of-living crisis. This is another crude attempt to shift the blame for
inflation onto the working class whereas every worker knows it is the bosses and their class’s profiteering, which has created the crisis.
The bill would allow employers to issue a notice to unions setting out who is required to work during a strike. This potentially leaves unions who refuse to comply open to serious financial penalties through sequestration of funds and removes workers’ protection from being dismissed for undertaking lawful industrial action.
We believe no individual union or member should be left isolated and the whole of the trade union movement must mobilise – collectively – in defence of workers’ rights. We demand:
- All unions and the TUC (and/or coalition of Trade unions) to urgently call a national Saturday demonstration against the new law;
- Keir Starmer pledges an incoming Labour government to reverse fines and other measures taken against any union under the terms of the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act;
- All employers refuse to use the provisions of the Strikes (Minimum
Service Levels) Act and that a lead in such non-compliance be given by any government, council, fire authority or other employer led by the Labour Party; - If any union is taken to court or a worker is threatened with dismissal, an emergency demonstration is called and an immediate meeting of the TUC General Council be convened to organise mass co-ordinated strike action, including a 24-hour general strike;
- The repeal of all anti-union legislation.
- We support the National Shop Stewards Network (NSSN) rally to be held at TUC Congress in Liverpool on Sunday 10 September lobbying for this programme of action.
What is the NSSN? Initiated by the RMT in 2006. Organising mutual solidarity when trade unions are in dispute will be at the heart of our work. We will also share information to develop ways of successfully resisting attacks on our union rights, jobs, pay, conditions and pensions. We aim to build a movement that can help sweep the anti-union laws off the books and make them inoperable in the meantime. It has a weekly bulletin of disputes.
Union branches, trades council affiliate to the NSSN directly
Affiliation to the NSSN is £50 and one off donations.
(Agreed at June 2023 AGM)
Southwark Trade Union Council 