THE NEW SLAVERY BILL

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 ::november/december2022 :: RMTnews 5 RMT has slammed new "autocratic" anti-union laws designed to end effective industrial action on the railways. Legislation known as the Minimum Service Levels Bill is being put forward by the government focused solely on the railways and legally preventing workers from having the right to withdraw their labour. Amongst the new raft of threats being levelled at RMT members includes: Unions will lose legal protections from damages if minimum service is not delivered Specified workers who still take strike action will lose their protection from automatic unfair dismissal. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said that this cynical piece of legislation outlawed effective legal industrial action on the railways. "It is an autocratic move from an increasingly despotic and rudderless Tory government. "All democrats whether inside or outside parliament must oppose this draconian attempt to clamp down on the fundamental human right to strike. "RMT and the entire trade union movement will not accept unjust anti-union laws and I call upon all workers in Britain to mount the fiercest civil resistance possible, in the proud traditions of the chartists and suffragettes,” he said. TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said that the Tory government was trying to distract from their failure by picking a fight with unions. “The right to strike is crucial in a free society and threatening the right to strike tilts the balance in the workplace too far towards the employers. And it means workers can’t stand up for decent services and safety at work – or defend their jobs or pay. “We will fight these unfair and unworkable proposals to undermine unions and undermine the right to strike and we will win,” she said. “They suffer no loss and the DFT and Treasury pays them … That’s why we believe they are taking so long to come up with proposals,” he said. Grilled by MPs that the union was resisting change, he said: “The railway does need fundamental change, but it’s not the one that the railway companies are seeking. “We need a railway that runs in the interests of the people and the interests of the economy and the environment not in the interests of First Group and others,” he said, referring to the owners of Avanti West Coast. RMT workers on London Overground and London Underground will also go ahead against jobs cuts, attacks on pensions, low pay and the imposition of working practices. RMT members voted overwhelmingly for strike action after rejecting a below inflation pay offer and negotiations with Tube employers have failed to make any progress on cuts imposed by the government. Mick Lynch said that London Overground and Underground workers were determined to protect their pensions, secure a decent pay rise, job security and good working conditions. “This government-led assault on staff will be disastrous as no other comparable urban transport system in the world operates without financial support from central government to ensure good and reliable services. “The government needs to stop trying to get services on the cheap by slashing jobs and wages and invest in what should be a world class transport network,” he said. Re-ballot The union is currently re- balloting rail and tube members as the anti-trade union laws requires RMT to ballot its members again and there must be a 50 per cent turnout. “Don’t forget to vote as this is your chance to keep up the pressure on the employers and a government that wants to strip out staff from the rail network, close ticket offices and cut maintenance and service levels in the relentless drive for profit. “Together we can win but you need to vote as soon as you receive your ballot paper,” he said. Trade union movement slams Tory Bill to effectively outlaw strike action in the transport sector THE NEW SLAVERY BILL