Joint statement from French, German, Italian and Spanish trade union federations on the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill

We, the undersigned, representing millions of workers in France, Germany, Italy and Spain reject the claim by the UK government that the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill brings the UK into line with ‘European norms.’ The fundamental right to strike is protected by constitutional and other means in all other advanced European democracies. The UK, which has the most draconian anti-union laws in the democratic world, is already an outlier in this regard.

More restrictions on the right to strike only drag the UK further away from democratic norms, risk violating international law, and tarnish its international reputation. We endorse the ETUC statement which makes it clear that these proposed anti-strike laws put the UK even further outside the democratic mainstream.

Negotiation, sectoral bargaining, and social partnership are always the best way of resolving a dispute. In the framework of the UK industrial relations’ system, imposed Minimum Service Levels would aggravate and prolong disputes. We are particularly concerned that workers will be required to work under threat of dismissal when they have voted in a legitimate ballot for industrial action.

Unlike workers in the UK, workers in France, Germany, Italy and Spain enjoy the protection of national sectoral collective bargaining agreements setting minimum standards on workers’ rights for whole industries. These agreements are underpinned by the freedom to take strike action without disproportionate restrictions.

We note that in the UK, workers in rescue services already voluntarily provide protection to the public through ‘life and limb’ cover. Before resorting to attacks on the right to strike, the UK government should offer public service workers a decent pay rise and fill the thousands of vacancies in services like the NHS.
We send our solidarity to workers in the UK taking action to defend not only their jobs, pay, and conditions in this escalating cost of living crisis, but their fundamental right to strike.

Signed by: