Trade union laws set to tighten as Professor espouses their benefits

The Conservative bill that has been dubbed ‘the biggest crackdown on trade union rights in 30 years,’ has passed through the second reading last week in the House of Commons, despite opposition from the Labour Party and the Scottish Nationalist Party. 

The proposed law intends to;

• Introduce a threshold of 50% turnout for industrial action ballots, and a requirement for at least 40% of all eligible voters to vote in favour of action for “important public sector services.”
• Allow agency staff to work in place of permanent employees during strikes.
• Require unions to inform police and employers of strike plans 14 days in advance, including any proposed use of placards or loudspeakers, blogs or social media. The picket organiser must also give their name to police and employers.

Shadow Business Secretary Angela Eagle attacked the bill: “I am dismayed that we have a government which believes in attacking trade unions rather than working with them in the spirit of social partnership to improve efficiency, economic efficiency and productivity in our country.”

“It saddens me beyond words that we’re here today dealing with the most significant, sustained and partisan attack on six million trade union members and their workplace organisations that we have seen in this country in the last 30 years. With the number of days lost to strike action down 90% in the last 20 years there is absolutely no necessity whatsoever to employ the law in this draconian way.”