U.K.
The UK trade union movement has been angered by the government’s rushed draft legislation to impose minimum service levels on public service strikers. The government claims it is bringing the UK into line with countries like Italy and Spain but fails to acknowledge the different systems in those countries that guarantee the right to strike and impose no requirements on balloting for industrial action. The UK legislation, if passed, would not ensure that trade unions can negotiate minimum service levels and would allow employers to dismiss workers who failed to comply with the requirement to work. Meanwhile, strikes across the public services continue with further action by the RCN nursing union and action planned by ambulance staff represented by UNISON, GMB and Unite. UNISON members also took strike action in the Environment Agency and National Institute for Health Care Excellence. The PCS civil service union is planning for full strike across central government on 1 February to coincide with the day of action against the strike law called by the TUC confederation.
