Business Secretary Vince Cable has highlighted the Government could make changes to strike laws should widespread strikes threaten the UK’s “social and economic fabric”.
The Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) is currently balloting more than 250,000 civil and public servants on whether or not to strike over cuts to pensions, jobs and pay, and national strike action could be on the horizon as a result.
Cable said: “Later this month, we may very well witness a day of industrial action across significant parts of the public sector. The usual suspects will call for general strikes and widespread disruption … and another group of usual suspects will exploit the situation to call for a tightening of strike law.
“We are undoubtedly entering a difficult period. Cool heads will be required all round. Despite occasional blips, I know that strike levels remain historically low, especially in the private sector.”
Cable explained that, until March of this year, the number of days lost through strikes were lower than at any time since 1931 and that, should this pattern continue, the case for changing strike laws would not be compelling.
However, he added: “Should the position change, and should strikes impose serious damage to our economic and social fabric, the pressure on us to act would ratchet up.”
I hate to say that I was a child when we had the strikes in the 70s and it was pretty horrific. Let’s hope we don’t go there again!
