This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jan/21/government-services-facing-new-strike-thresholds-trade-union-bill
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Government sets out services facing new strike thresholds | Government sets out services facing new strike thresholds |
| (7 months later) | |
| The government has set out which public services face new thresholds on strike action, to be introduced in the trade union bill going through parliament. | The government has set out which public services face new thresholds on strike action, to be introduced in the trade union bill going through parliament. |
| Following a consultation by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, ministers announced that strike action in the fire, health, education, transport, border security and nuclear decommissioning sectors would require the support of at least 40% of all those entitled to vote in the relevant ballot. | Following a consultation by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, ministers announced that strike action in the fire, health, education, transport, border security and nuclear decommissioning sectors would require the support of at least 40% of all those entitled to vote in the relevant ballot. |
| The rules would apply to ongoing industrial disputes with junior doctors and London Underground workers, although the ballots for strike action in both cases would have easily passed the threshold. | The rules would apply to ongoing industrial disputes with junior doctors and London Underground workers, although the ballots for strike action in both cases would have easily passed the threshold. |
| The trade union bill contains a broad reference to ancillary workers requiring a 40% threshold of support and at least a 50% turnout to strike. The bill will now be amended to reflect the government’s decision about which sectors count as ancillary. | The trade union bill contains a broad reference to ancillary workers requiring a 40% threshold of support and at least a 50% turnout to strike. The bill will now be amended to reflect the government’s decision about which sectors count as ancillary. |
| Labour’s London mayoral candidate, Sadiq Khan, said the Conservative party had carefully timed the announcement to destabilise talks with tube workers just as progress was being made. | Labour’s London mayoral candidate, Sadiq Khan, said the Conservative party had carefully timed the announcement to destabilise talks with tube workers just as progress was being made. |
| “If ever Londoners needed evidence that the Tories treat them with utter disdain, then this is it. The fact they are prepared to stir up strikes on the tube for their own political gain shows the Tories are totally unfit to run London,” he said. “Behaviour like this is the reason there are twice as many tube strikes under the Tories.” | “If ever Londoners needed evidence that the Tories treat them with utter disdain, then this is it. The fact they are prepared to stir up strikes on the tube for their own political gain shows the Tories are totally unfit to run London,” he said. “Behaviour like this is the reason there are twice as many tube strikes under the Tories.” |
| Employment minister Nick Boles said: “When strikes disrupt important public services that we all rely on day-in, day-out, it is important the public can have confidence strikes were backed by a reasonable proportion of union members. | Employment minister Nick Boles said: “When strikes disrupt important public services that we all rely on day-in, day-out, it is important the public can have confidence strikes were backed by a reasonable proportion of union members. |
| “These new thresholds ensure the right to strike is fairly balanced with the right of people to be able to go about their daily lives and work.” | “These new thresholds ensure the right to strike is fairly balanced with the right of people to be able to go about their daily lives and work.” |
| In the announcement, the government made reference to a 2014 strike by the National Union of Teachers over pay and working conditions which achieved the support of just 27% of members in a 2012 ballot. | In the announcement, the government made reference to a 2014 strike by the National Union of Teachers over pay and working conditions which achieved the support of just 27% of members in a 2012 ballot. |
| Responding to the announcement, the general secretary of the Trades Union Congress, Frances O’Grady, said the government was introducing tougher measures to make it harder for public sector workers to defend their jobs and public services. | Responding to the announcement, the general secretary of the Trades Union Congress, Frances O’Grady, said the government was introducing tougher measures to make it harder for public sector workers to defend their jobs and public services. |
| “Now, with government cuts making services worse for patients, pupils and passengers, staff will find it far harder to raise their concerns. And we will all feel the impact in the long term,” she said. | “Now, with government cuts making services worse for patients, pupils and passengers, staff will find it far harder to raise their concerns. And we will all feel the impact in the long term,” she said. |
| “The decision to go on strike is never one people take lightly. It’s a last resort, when employers won’t listen and won’t compromise. The government is wrong to threaten this fundamental British liberty.” | “The decision to go on strike is never one people take lightly. It’s a last resort, when employers won’t listen and won’t compromise. The government is wrong to threaten this fundamental British liberty.” |
| O’Grady said ministers were trying to brainwash the public into thinking that strikes were out of control, pointing out that days lost to strike action were a tiny fraction of what they were in the 1980s, accounting for 0.0035% of all working days between October 2014 and October 2015. | O’Grady said ministers were trying to brainwash the public into thinking that strikes were out of control, pointing out that days lost to strike action were a tiny fraction of what they were in the 1980s, accounting for 0.0035% of all working days between October 2014 and October 2015. |
| “These new thresholds will have the perverse effect of making abstentions more powerful in strike ballots than ‘no’ votes – and yet increasing participation in union democracy is something the government claims to want,” she said. | “These new thresholds will have the perverse effect of making abstentions more powerful in strike ballots than ‘no’ votes – and yet increasing participation in union democracy is something the government claims to want,” she said. |