MINIMUM SERVICE LEGISLATION ‘COULD PROVOKE FURTHER CONFLICT’

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: may 2023 :: RMTnews 4 The House of Commons Transport Select Committee questioned rail industry and union leaders about more anti- trade union legislation currently going through Parliament. Plans to legislate for minimum levels of service during rail strikes could have “unintended consequences” of provoking further conflict, MPs have been told. Jamie Burles, managing director of Abellio Greater Anglia, said that the “overriding” objective of the industry was to avoid strikes and have good industrial relations. He stressed the importance of having “absolute clarity” in the planned law about the requirements on employers and workers. “If we do not have that, one of the unintended consequences would be further conflict or stress between the relationship,” he said. Cross Country Trains managing director Tom Joyner told MPs that he had not been lobbying the Government legislation on minimum levels of service. The Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill has been debated in the House of Lords and is due to return to the House of Commons. TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said that it was time for the government to ditch the Bill for good and protect the right to strike. “No-one should be sacked for trying to win a better deal at work. “This draconian legislation would mean that when workers democratically vote to strike, they could be forced to work and sacked if they don’t comply,” he said. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch told the committee that the law would be a “disaster”. Critical workers such as signallers and train drivers would be “conscripted” to work even if they voted legally to strike, he said. “It will be a complete pig’s ear. It is unsafe, it will not work or serve passengers.” Mr Lynch said the law would spark “novel” forms of industrial action as well as wildcat walkouts. He said that the government often points to legislation in other EU countries, but highlighted recent strikes in France, Italy and Sweden. He said that the government did not understand how the railways operate and was “making it up” in terms of the legislation. He warned that industrial relations would be “poisoned” by the new law, with the prospect of large numbers of workers being sacked, leading to huge consequences for the rail industry. Train drivers’ union ASLEF general secretary Mick Whelan agreed and warned that the law would spark more strikes and other forms of industrial action. He told MPs that unions had not been involved in discussions around the planned legislation. “In all my 38 years in this industry I cannot see how this can be done safely. There will be more action, and it will worsen industrial relations,” he said. Both general secretaries said that laying down a minimum level of service would raise expectations among passengers about how many trains would run during a strike. Mick Lynch said that it would lead to anger when the “inevitable chaos” which meant there would not be a minimum level of service.   RMT is opposed to the Illegal Migration Bill which seeks to exploit boat crossings in the Channel and to stoke enmity against refugees and migrants seeking asylum in this country. The Bill does not protect people from organised crime or modern slavery and Amnesty has described the legislation as “cruel”. Even the government has admitted the legislation could contravene the European Convention on Human Rights. Along with twenty-six other trade unions RMT is supporting the Safe Passage for Refugees policy which would create a visa for safe travel for refugees who have viable asylum claims.   This would stop people from getting into small boats and risking their lives, eliminate people smugglers’ profits, and keep the UK compliant with its international obligations. Details can be found at care4calais.org MINIMUM SERVICE LEGISLATION ‘COULD PROVOKE FURTHER CONFLICT’ Unions slam anti-union legislation as a ‘pig’s ear’ and employers warn of more industrial strife not less Transport Workers could be prosecuted for not detaining and restraining asylum seekers NO TO ILLEGAL MIGRATION BILL