UK ministers announce anti-strike legislation

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Ministers have announced anti-strike legislation to enforce “minimum service levels” in six key public services including the NHS and schools as Rishi Sunak scrambles to get a grip on ongoing industrial disputes.

The government plans to introduce a law in the coming weeks that would allow bosses in health, education, fire, ambulance, rail and nuclear commissioning, to sue unions and sack employees if the minimum levels are not met.

Minimum service levels will be set for fire, ambulance and rail services, with the government consulting on the adequate level of coverage for these sectors, to address concerns that disruption to blue light services puts lives at risk.

However, they will also reserve the power to impose minimum service levels in the other three public services, although ministers expect to reach voluntary agreements in these areas and say they would only impose the anti-strike law if this was not possible.

The business secretary, Grant Shapps, who has previously taken a hardline position towards the unions, said: “As well as protecting the freedom to strike, the government must also protect life and livelihoods.

“While we hope that voluntary agreements can continue to be made in most cases, introducing minimum safety levels – the minimum levels of service we expect to be provided – will restore the balance between those seeking to strike and protecting the public from disproportionate disruption.”

Under the original plans for an anti-strike law last autumn, union members who are told to work under the minimum service requirement but refuse to do so could lose their jobs. It also proposed tougher thresholds for industrial action to take place. It is unclear whether the new legislation will revive these plans.

With the country still facing further strikes this winter, which the new law would come in too late to prevent, ministers are also urging the unions to cancel planned industrial action, suggesting that if they did so then pay rises could be on the table next year.

They invited union chiefs to hold talks on next year’s pay review in an attempt to resolve current disputes “constructively through dialogue” – even though Sunak has already ruled out pay demands for this year despite millions of workers struggling with the cost of living.

Keir Starmer has said an incoming Labour government would repeal Rishi Sunak’s anti-strike legislation, setting out clear dividing lines with the Conservatives on workers’ rights before the next general election.

After a major speech in east London, Starmer told reporters: “I don’t think this legislation is going to work. I’m pretty sure they’d had an assessment that tells them that it is likely to make a bad situation worse.

“We will look at what they bring forward but if it’s further restrictions then we would repeal it. The reason for that is that I do not think legislation is the way you bring an end to a dispute.

“You’ve got to get in the room and compromise. You can’t legislate your way out of 13 years of failure … Will we repeal it? Yes we will.”