Unions
and
opposition
politicians
have
reacted
angrily


to
the
government’s
new
Bill
which
gives
a
minister
power
to
decide
on
minimum
levels
of
service
during
rail
strikes.

Business
secretary
Grant
Shapps
promised
that
there
would
be
consultation
with
unions
before
setting
out
the
levels
which
would
legally
apply
to
workers
on
the
railway
and
in
other
public
services,
such
as
health,
education
border
security
and
nuclear
decommissioning.

He
told
MPs:
‘The
Government
will
always
defend
their
ability
to
withdraw
their
labour.
However,
we
also
recognise
the
pressures
faced
by
those
working
in
the
public
sector.
Yesterday
I
invited
union
leaders
in
for
talks
across
Government,
and
I
am
pleased
to
say
we
have
seen
some
progress.
We
want
to
resolve
disputes
where
possible,
while
also
delivering
what
is
fair
and
reasonable
to
the
taxpayer.’

Staff
who
walked
out
in
defiance
of
the
law
could
lose
their
employment
protection
and
be
dismissed,
while
unions
could
also
face
claims
for
damages.

RMT
general
secretary
Mick
Lynch
is
among
those
who
have
condemned
the
proposed
law.

He
said:
‘This
is
an
attack
on
human
rights
and
civil
liberties
which
we
will
oppose
in
the
courts,
Parliament
and
the
workplace.
One
of
the
most
important
things
in
any
democratic
society
is
to
have
free
trade
unions.

‘This
law
could
make
effective
strike
action
illegal,
and
workers
may
be
sacked
for
exercising
their
right
to
withdraw
their
labour.
The
only
reason
this
draconian
legislation
is
being
introduced
is
because
the
government
have
lost
the
argument
and
want
to
punish
workers
for
having
the
temerity
to
demand
decent
pay
and
working
conditions.

‘The
government’s
own
impact
assessment
of
minimum
service
levels
shows
it
wouldn’t
work. 
They
would
be
better
off
coming
to
a
negotiated
settlement
with
unions
through
dialogue.’

Unite
leader
Sharon
Graham
described
the
Bill
as
’another
dangerous
gimmick
from
a
government
that
should
be
negotiating
to
resolve
the
current
crisis
they
have
caused’,
while
Labour’s
deputy
leader
Angela
Rayner
added:
‘The
secretary
of
state
claims
that
he
made
progress
yesterday,
but
the
read-out
from
trade
union
representatives
was
dismal.
Is
there
any
chance
of
a
deal
this
year?
Where
is
the
consultation
he
mentioned
for
a
meaningful
way
forward,
or
was
that
all
for
show?’