ILO standards flouted by UK

The UK is violating International Labour Organisation (ILO) standards by not implementing a Trade Union Freedom Bill, TUC delegates heard last week.

Christine Blower, deputy general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, described the situation as “nothing short of shameful”. Eighty per cent of the Conservatives’ anti-union legislation is still in place almost 10 years after Labour came to power, she said.

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A campaign for the Bill, launched last year, has the support of 182 MPs so far. It includes the protection of workers taking legal industrial action against their employers and allows staff to take ‘supportive action’ for striking colleagues with different employers.

John McDonnell, Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington, said the UK had to bring itself up to the level of other European countries. He des­cribed the Gate Gourmet strike at Heathrow airport last year as “a tragedy”.