Strike law ‘should be tightened’ before cuts start
By politics.co.uk staff
An employers’ group is demanding the government tighten the law on strike ballots and compulsory arbitration for key services ahead of implementing its spending cuts programme.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) said the government should consider the highly controversial measures before the full impact of the deficit reducation programme hits home.
Some commentators are predicting a winter of discontent, as trade unions gear up to oppose the government’s deficit reduction programme.
But unions lambasted the move as unworkable and wrong.
Mike Emmott, CIPD employee relations advisor, said: “It is also incumbent on the government to consider the policy options open to it for reducing the risk of disruptive and damaging industrial action by public service employees, such as banning strike action of those involved in the delivery of essential services.”
Mr Emmott added, however, that any efforts in this regard would show that the government had failed to convince public sector workers of the case for deficit reduction.
Paul Kenny, GMB union general secretary said: “It beggars belief that these fat cat directors, who presided over a decade of boardroom excess and greed, have the barefaced cheek to attack the rights of people who actually work for a living.”
