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Why we must defend the right of working people to strike
The UK is seeing record levels of strike action as occupational therapists , ambulance workers , nurses , transport workers and teachers take a stand against the crisis in our public services .
Yet , rather than engaging with the people who keep our country running , or finding solutions to staffing shortages and waiting lists , the government is intent on punishing frontline workers when they speak out .
UNISON believes that the new anti-strike bill , named the Strikes ( Minimum Service Levels ) Bill , is a full-frontal attack on working people and the trade unions they organise within . It seeks to drastically curtail labour rights in Great Britain
UNISON members want the government to focus its efforts on fixing the pay crisis and solving the legitimate disputes that have led to recent strike action . Only then will the crises in our public services start to be solved .” and allows employers to sack the very people on whose hard work and goodwill our public services depend .
General secretary Christina McAnea said : ‘ UNISON members want the government to focus its efforts on fixing the pay crisis and solving the legitimate disputes that have led to recent strike action . Only then will the crises in our public services start to be solved .
‘ Instead , the government is attacking workers and making it even harder for them to win fair pay .’
Here are the three things all UNISON members need to know about this new legislation , which began its journey through Parliament on 16 January .
Minimum service levels
The bill will grant the government powers to set ‘ minimum service levels ’ for six key public services : health ; fire and rescue ; education ; transport ; decommissioning of nuclear installations and management of radioactive waste and spent fuel ; and border security .
There is no detail on the limit to these ‘ service levels ’ – the power to set this is given to the
56 OTnews February 2023