POLITICIANS from across the world – including the former Italian prime minister – have united to condemn the UK Government’s draconian anti-strike laws.
In a joint statement signed by 121 politicians from 18 countries, the UK Government was told to abandon its plans to limit the right to strike in Britain by introducing minimum levels of service.
It would mean employers would be able to demand staff show up for work even if their union was on strike to maintain services at a level set by the state.
The Trades Union Congress (TUC) issued a statement signed by politicians from socialist, leftist and green parties across the world, including Giuseppe Conte, the former prime minister of Italy.
The letter was signed by parliamentarians in countries such as Ireland, France, Germany, Australia and Sweden among others.
British trade unionists already operate within some of the “draconian restrictions […] anywhere in the democratic world”, the letter said, adding the Government’s plans would further roll back “worker protections and freedoms”.
The letter reads: “As elected politicians from around the world, we, the undersigned, reject the UK government’s attempt to limit workers’ rights and its attempt to justify it with comparisons to international norms.
“The UK already has some of the most draconian restrictions on trade unions anywhere in the democratic world and workers in the UK are faced with disproportionate regulatory hurdles before participation in a strike can be considered legal.
“Despite this, the UK government is set on further rolling back worker protections and freedoms.
“The government’s proposed legislation, the ‘Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill’, is attempting to bring in new top-down powers which would allow them to impose an arbitrary level of service on a broad range of sectors.
“These new powers will allow the government to force union members to go into work on strike days under threat of dismissal.”
The SNP described the letter as a “damning verdict” on the UK Government and highlighted First Minister Humza Yousaf’s commitment at the Scottish Trades Union Congress’s conference earlier this month that the Scottish Government would not enforce the law.
Chris Stephens, the MP for Glasgow South West, said: “This is a damning verdict on the Tories and their abhorrent anti-strike legislation which punishes workers for going on strike and taking action over poor working conditions and pay.
“Ever since Brexit, the UK’s standing in the world continues to decline and this is another nail in the coffin of the UK’s power and influence on the international stage. The UK government has been completely humiliated by their allies.
“This also blows a massive hole in the Tories’ argument that this awful piece of legislation merely aligns the UK with other nations such as France and Germany. These countries have now come out and completely rubbished that claim, calling the restrictions draconian.
“I was pleased to hear the First Minister last week condemn this legislation and that it would not be enforced by the Scottish Government.
“It is another demonstration for the people of Scotland of the tale of two governments, one at Holyrood that supports the right to strike and the one at Westminster that wants to see you sacked for exercising your basic rights.
“That is why the only way to protect workers' rights, just like our European neighbours do, is for Scotland to escape Westminster control and become an independent country.”
The bill is currently under scrutiny in the House of Lords and is expected to be debated again in the upper chamber on Wednesday.
