Date: Monday 16th January 2017
Welsh Government Bill to put ‘partnership into practice’, says Wales TUC
Responding to the publication of the Welsh Government’s Bill designed to challenge the UK Trade Union Act, Wales TUC General Secretary Martin Mansfield said:
“This hugely welcome and important Bill is about protecting the ability of unions, employers and the Welsh government to work in partnership in devolved Welsh public services.
“The Welsh government is today putting partnership into practice. The First Minister and the Cabinet Secretary promised to stand by Welsh public sector workers and they have delivered.
“The ‘Welsh way’ works in preventing industrial action. Our social partnership is all about delivering better services for our communities and dealing with disagreements before they become disputes. Without this Bill the UK Trade Union Act would turn back the clock on devolution and threaten to undermine our existing social partnership.
“We have a progressive majority in Wales with Welsh Labour, Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Liberal Democrats all supporting partnership instead of the UK approach.
“The Westminster government must respect the democratic will of the people of Wales rather than attempting to interfere in services they were not elected to run.”
Notes:
Wales TUC media contacts:
Alex Bevan T: 02920 347010 M: 07795844728 E: abevan@tuc.org.uk
Gareth Hathway T: 02920 347 013 M: 07833468487 E: ghathway@tuc.org.uk