Massive protests have been held in response to a new law aimed at curbing strike stoppages in Britain.
Massive strikes have taken place amid a ‘winter of discontent’ in which thousands of people have called for better wages and working conditions.
Teachers, machinists, civil servants, university lecturers, bus drivers and security guards from seven trade unions walk out Wednesday – the biggest day of industrial action in more than a decade.
But the government’s new strike law could hamper the future of union action.
The controversial proposals aim to ensure minimum labor standards are in place during strike days in six sectors, including health care and transport.
The Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill vacated the House of Commons at an overnight Monday sitting, with MPs voting 315 to 246, a majority of 69.
Labor deputy leader Angela Rayner said Labor would withdraw it if the party came to power.
She added: “It threatens key workers with firing during a shortage of workers and a crisis, it is an outright attack on the fundamental freedom of working people, while doing absolutely nothing to solve the current crisis.
“Let’s see what it’s all about: a government that plays politics with the lives of key workers because they can’t stand bargaining, a government that lashes out at working people instead of coming to terms with its 13 years of failure, and a government and prime minister who are dangerous from the depths and fear control.
“We on these benches will vote against this shoddy, unworkable law.”
A large group protested against the bill outside Downing Street last night, many carrying placards critical of Rishi Sunak’s government.
Yesterday Treasury Secretary Grant Shapps had claimed that the bill “simply proposed to protect people’s lives and people’s livelihoods.”
In a brief speech, he added: “We are moving this debate tonight and this third reading because we care about people in our workforce, because we care about their livelihoods, and because we care about our constituents and their ability to access vital services.’
His comments come after Jacob Rees-Mogg warned it will be subject to legal challenges unless drastically changed.
The conservative former business secretary supported the bill in the House of Commons but said it was ‘poorly written’ and criticized the sweeping powers it gives to his successor Grant Shapps.
Mr Rees-Mogg urged ministers to allow the House of Lords to amend the bill to add details, claiming this would mean it would be ‘much less susceptible to judicial scrutiny review’.
He told the House of Commons: ‘I am in favor of this bill, I think this is a good bill and a proportionate bill, but it is a badly written bill.’
Yesterday MPs from Wales and Scotland tried to exclude the devolved nations from the bill’s jurisdiction in the House of Commons.
Labor MP for the Cynon Valley, Beth Winter, urged MPs to support her efforts to prevent the Bill from applying to Wales, while SNP MP Alan Brown tabled an amendment to make it clear that this Henry VIII’s powers should not and should not extend. to decentralized legislation’.
An SNP-backed amendment to ensure that the Bill would not enter into force without the consent of the Parliaments of Wales and Scotland was defeated by 321 to 46, majority 275.
The bill will be examined further in the House of Lords at a later date.
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