Category Archives: Industrial action
The Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill
This is bad lawmaking. The Government is granting itself sweeping powers while claiming that it only intends to use them for a limited purpose. This allows it to sidestep any debate about how the tension between the right to strike and impact that strikes have on public services should be navigated. Continue reading
Can We Ban Christmas Travel Chaos?
As we face a Christmas of discontent, Ministers are, according to the Sunday Telegraph, coming under pressure from backbenchers to introduce laws to curb strikes in important public services. Which is odd really, because they already have. The Trade Union … Continue reading
BREXIT and strike ballots.
This is not a post about the employment law implications of Brexit. Obviously there are plenty of those out there – and I’m sure I’ll be writing a few over the weeks months and years that follow. I suspect that … Continue reading
Junior Doctors and the Trade Union Bill
Barring a dramatic development (such as a legal challenge), tomorrow’s strike of junior doctors is going to go ahead. In fact it cannot be postponed because eight weeks has now passed since the ballot was held and after that period is … Continue reading
The Trade Union Bill 2015 – a step too far
The new Trade Union Bill seeks to fight battles that, in reality, were won 20 years ago. There is a danger that all it will do is stir up anger and resentment in the trade union movement – and perhaps that is … Continue reading
Boris and the Ballot: why call for tougher strike laws?
The nation’s favourite Tory, Boris Johnson has called for tougher strike laws. In his Mail on Sunday interview Boris sets out an 8-point plan. It differs from other employment law proposals I’ve seen in that it has been prepared by … Continue reading
A load of ballots! Unite’s mandate for strike action distorted by the Mail
Today’s story is about industrial action ballots. It’s prompted by this report from the Mail Online which carries the headline: Held to ransom by 1,000 tanker drivers: Petrol stations face closure as less than half union’s members vote for strike Now … Continue reading
A Range of Reasonable Responses 