The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union has announced that it will be taking to the streets in a national protest against the government’s proposed Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill. The bill, which is currently going through Parliament, would make it more difficult for workers to strike by requiring them to provide a minimum level of service during industrial action.

The RMT has said that the bill is “anti-worker” and “a threat to democracy”. General secretary Mick Lynch said that the union would be “mobilising the entire organised working class” to fight the bill.

The protest is planned for October and will involve marches and demonstrations in cities across the UK. The RMT is hoping to build a broad coalition of support for the protest, including from other unions, civil liberties groups, and opposition parties.

The government has defended the bill, saying that it is necessary to protect essential services during industrial action. However, critics have argued that the bill is a clear attack on the right to strike and would make it much harder for workers to defend their pay and conditions.

The protest is the latest in a series of actions by the RMT against the government’s proposed anti-strike legislation. In January, the union joined thousands of other protesters in a demonstration outside Downing Street. The union has also said that it is prepared to take industrial action if the bill is passed into law.

The protest is likely to be a major test of public opinion on the government’s anti-strike legislation. If the RMT is able to mobilize a large turnout, it will send a clear message to the government that the bill is deeply unpopular.

Members of the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) and the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) on the picket line outside London Euston train station, July 27, 2022

Background

The Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill is a piece of legislation that has proposed by the UK government. The bill would make it more difficult for workers to strike by requiring them to provide a minimum level of service during industrial action.

The bill has met with criticism from trade unions, who argue that it is an attack on the right to strike. They argue that the bill would make it much harder for workers to defend their pay and conditions.

The government has defended the bill, saying that it is necessary to protect essential services during industrial action. They argue that the bill would ensure that people can still access essential services during strikes.

The bill is currently going through Parliament. It is not yet clear whether it will passed into law.

What to expect

The RMT’s national protest against the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill expected to be a major event. The union has said that it is planning marches and demonstrations in cities across the UK. The protest is likely to attract a large turnout from trade unions and other supporters.

The protest is likely to be a noisy and disruptive event. However, it is also likely to be a peaceful one. The RMT has said that it committed to holding a peaceful protest.

The protest is likely to be a major test of public opinion on the government’s anti-strike legislation. If the RMT is able to mobilize a large turnout, it will send a clear message to the government. That the bill is deeply unpopular.thumb_upthumb_downuploadGoogle itmore_vert