The TUC Congress 2023 is taking place this week, and one of the key issues on the agenda is the government’s anti-strikes bill. This bill, which is currently making its way through Parliament, would make it much harder for workers to strike.

The bill would introduce “minimum service levels” in a number of key sectors, such as healthcare, education, and transport. This would mean that employers could force some workers to continue working during a strike, even if they have voted to take action.

FBU general secretary Matt Wrack

The bill’s key provisions

The anti-strikes bill, which is currently being debated in Parliament, would make it much more difficult for workers to strike. The key provisions of the bill include:

• Requiring 48 hours’ notice for all strikes, up from the current 7 days.
• Making it easier for employers to replace striking workers.
• Banning strikes over “secondary” issues, such as pay for other workers.
• Imposing fines on unions that break the law.

The government’s justification for the bill

The government claims that the bill is necessary to protect the public from the disruption caused by strikes. However, this is a disingenuous argument. Strikes are a legitimate form of industrial action, and they are only used as a last resort. The government’s real aim is to weaken the power of trade unions and make it easier for employers to exploit workers.

The bill is a clear attack on trade unions

• The anti-strikes bill is a clear attack on trade unions. It would make it much harder for workers to strike, by requiring them to give 48 hours’ notice and to hold a ballot of all members, even if only a small number of workers  directly affected by the dispute. This would make it much more difficult for unions to organize effective strikes, and would give employers a significant advantage in bargaining disputes

• The bill would have a devastating impact on workers’ rights. It would make it much harder for workers to fight for better pay, conditions, and job security. It would also make it easier for employers to fire striking workers, and to replace them with scab labor. This would undermine the power of unions and make it harder for workers to win their demands.

• The anti-strikes bill is a dangerous precedent. If it passed, it could used to restrict other basic rights, such as the right to protest and the right to free assembly. It could also  used to intimidate and silence critics of the government.

• The TUC Congress has called on its members to oppose the anti-strikes bill. We must all stand together to defend our democratic rights and to ensure that workers have the power to fight for a better future.The anti-strikes bill is a cynical attempt by the government to weaken the power of trade unions and to make it harder for workers to win their demands. We must all oppose this bill and fight for our democratic rights.