Now back to the 1920s! Mick Lynch calls for GENERAL STRIKE as Liz Truss tries to rein in unions

Now back to the 1920s! Mick Lynch calls for GENERAL STRIKE as Liz Truss tries to rein in unions

Now back to the 1920s! Mick Lynch calls for GENERAL STRIKE as Liz Truss becomes Prime Minister and takes action to curb unions

  • RMT boss Mick Lynch called for a general strike as Liz Truss tries to knock out unions
  • Truss vowed to end ‘militant action’ by unions if she wins Tory leadership
  • But Lynch promised such legislation would lead to ‘coordinated industrial action’
  • He says ‘dangerous situation’ takes country back to ‘Victorian times’

Through Stewart Carr for Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

A union boss has called for a general strike if: Liz Truss becomes prime minister and introduces legislation to end strikes that hit the country.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs pledged to ensure that ‘militant action’ by unions no longer ‘crippled’ the economy if they Tory leadership contest.

Mick Lynch, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, said “coordinated and synchronized union action” will be needed if legislation is enacted.

He went on to say that the “very dangerous situation” poses the risk of the country going back to “Victorian times.”

Mick Lynch (center), general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, said 'coordinated and synchronized union action' is needed if legislation is introduced to curb union action

Mick Lynch (center), general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, said ‘coordinated and synchronized union action’ is needed if legislation is introduced to curb union action

Secretary of State Liz Truss has vowed to ensure 'militant actions' by unions no longer 'cripple' the economy if she wins Tory leadership contest

Secretary of State Liz Truss has vowed to ensure ‘militant actions’ by unions no longer ‘cripple’ the economy if she wins Tory leadership contest

The comments came as strikes by members of the RMT and Transport Salried Staffs Association crippled services on Wednesday, with only about one in five trains running and in some areas no trains at all.

Meanwhile, Aslef announced that its members will be leaving on Saturday, August 13, as train companies have not made a wage offer to help members keep pace with the rise in the cost of living.

A general strike, which can only be called by the Trade Union Congress (TUC), is when a ‘substantial proportion’ of workers in multiple sectors refuse to work until their demands, usually around pay and working conditions, are met.

RMT supporters protest outside Network Rail offices in Glasgow yesterday as 40,000 workers went on strike

RMT supporters protest outside Network Rail offices in Glasgow yesterday as 40,000 workers went on strike

WHAT WAS THE GENERAL BATTLE OF 1926?

The 1926 General Strike was the largest industrial dispute in British history.

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) called the strike to prevent miners’ wages from being cut and required mine owners to work an extra hour a day.

During 1925 and 1926 tensions mounted with the government and the mine owners on the one hand and the unions on the other. In March 1926, a Royal Commission led by Sir Herbert Samuel recommended small cuts in wages, but no more hours.

These recommendations were not acceptable to the miners or the employers. The General Council of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) threatened a strike by key workers on 4 May. Daily Mail printers refused to print a lead article criticizing the Trades Union Congress (TUC).

This action was unacceptable to the government. All negotiation attempts were aborted and the general strike began on May 4 – lasting nine days. The owners of the collieries stated that all the strikers had been locked out – and had no jobs.

After the TUC called off the strike on May 12, the miners continued to strike for another six months, but eventually hunger drove them back to work and they were forced to accept longer hours, lower wages and local agreements.

Source: The National Archives

Mr Lynch told the i newspaper: ‘There is a whole range of measures that she (Mrs Truss) wants to put in place that would make it virtually impossible to have effective union work and we think that collective action would be effectively banned.

“I think that’s a turn to the far right on behalf of the Conservatives, and they’re playing to their reactionary base. I think there will be a huge response from the trade union movement.

Only the TUC can call a general strike, we will campaign in that direction, but we need coordinated and synchronized industrial action against what they are proposing.

“I would look for a general strike if we can make that happen, but that’s up to others. We are a small union compared to others. So we’ll have to see where that goes.’

Ms Truss has said her government will introduce legislation in the first 30 days of parliament to ensure a minimum level of service on vital national infrastructure.

It would also ensure that strike action gains significant support from union members by raising the minimum threshold to vote in favor of strike action from 40% to 50%.

The minimum notice period for strike action will be increased from two weeks to four weeks and there will be a cooling-off period so that unions cannot strike as often as they want in the six months after a vote.

Asked what she would do about the railway strikes, the Secretary of State told Sky News: “I would legislate to ensure essential services are on our railway.

“It is completely wrong that the traveling public is being held ransom by militant unions. We can’t let that happen. We need to keep our essential services running.

“Like I said, I’m on the side of people who work hard, who get to work, who want to run their businesses. We cannot see that they are hindered by the activities of these militant unions.”