Tory anti-strike legislation is leaving Britain’s reputation ‘in tatters’
By Peter Lazenby, Morning Star, March 22nd
Britain’s reputation for fair treatment of workers was left “in tatters” yesterday after the United Nations accused the government of breaking international conventions with its anti-strike laws.
The Geneva-based International Labour Organisation (ILO) is the UN’s workers’ rights arm, monitoring labour legislation imposed by governments.
It has expressed “serious concerns” over the Tories’ Minimum Service Levels legislation, which forces striking workers to cross their own picket lines or face the sack with no recourse to labour protection laws.
Unions that fail to enforce strike-breaking instructions set by government ministers can face sequestration of their funds by courts.
The UN-ILO’s condemnation came after the Trade Union Congress reported the government over the legislation.
TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “The UK’s global reputation as a country that respects workers’ rights is in tatters.
“This hugely embarrassing verdict on the Conservative government’s flagship anti-strike legislation comes just months after the UN workers’ rights watchdog reprimanded the UK over its anti-union drive.”
He accused the government of “spinning mistruths” in saying the ILO supported the legislation.
“The ILO joins a range of respected organisations who have been queuing up to criticise this legislation – from rights groups to lawyers to politicians,” Mr Nowak said.
“These new laws are undemocratic, unworkable and are likely illegal. And they will do nothing to resolve industrial disputes.
“We will fight these draconian laws all the way. And we won’t rest until these laws are off the statute book.”
Attempts by rail operators to negotiate minimum service levels for striking train drivers were defied by their union Aslef, which increased the drivers’ level of strike action.
Bosses at operators LNER and Northern caved in despite government pressure to force the issue.
NHS Providers, representing NHS trusts, said the legislation could worsen industrial relations, harm patient care and lead to more disruption.
Mayors and council leaders – including Andy Burnham in Manchester, Sadiq Khan in London, Steve Rotherham in Merseyside and Tracy Brabin in West Yorkshire – alongside the Scottish and Welsh governments have warned the new laws could lead to longer and more frequent strikes and will do everything in their power not to use them.
Tesla Dispute Sweden: Management Says It Is Free To Decide On Union Recognition
In a surprising press interview Jens Stark, who speaks for Tesla in Sweden told the newspaper Dagens Industri, that the Swedish management of Tesla, the e-vehicle manufacturer currently in a major dispute with the Swedish union IF Metall over union recognition and collective bargaining is free to act and can decide to sign a collective agreement or not.
This is the first time since the beginning of the dispute which has widespread union support in the Nordic Countries that the Swedish management have commented on the long running dispute.
Tesla has been hit by boycotts across Nordic countries with unions refusing to unload imported Tesla’s from ships,
supply chain companies servicing Tesla and providing parts are also being hit and threats of giant pension funds to withdraw investment in Tesla.
IF Metall’s lead negotiator Veli-Pekka Säikkälä said Stark’s statement came as asuprise. “This is news to us. When we entered the dispute, they were very clear that they do not have collective agreements anywhere in the world. And that if an agreement is to be signed, that decision must be made at the highest level”.
Säikkälä says that only recently the company reiterated its stance: “It is astonishing and at the same time, I think it is very good. If the decision rests with the company in Sweden, they cannot hide behind Elon Musk and the group management. If they don’t want to sign an agreement then they don’t. But now it is at least clear, that they do not want to do it and that it is not about them not being permitted to do so. That makes a great difference when we talk to them.”
Argentina: Focus Now On Defeating Anti Union Laws
Following the widespread support for the January General Strike against Argentina’s right wing president Javier Milei’s reforms unions are demonstrating that they are not willing to give up their employment and social rights.
The major focus of the campaign is against Milei’s DNU, (the mega reforms he is driving through the Argentinian parliament) which form the legal basis for the anti union and reform measures that the government has been taking.
They reforms have already been been rejected in the Senate and unions are in discussions with parliamentary deputies to get enough votes to reject the DNU in the Chamber of Deputies.
The Ministry Of Labour has been downgraded to a “secretariat” – the new Secretary of Labour is a lawyer from the Techint Group, and Milei have filled his government with representatives of multinational companies.
The Milei government is also privatising publically owned companies and Milei has signalled his intent to close down the state owned news agency Telam which unions say is an attack on information sovereignty and freedom of expression.
Unions are keeping the pressure on and there are on going sectoral strikes including a planned strike in the airline industry over Easter.
The next major event against Milei’s right wing and populist government is planned for March 24th the Day of Memory, Truth & Justice which will being together unions with social and human rights groups.
Thanks to Sol Calle in Argentina.