The controversial strikes bill has successfully passed through the House of Lords after a number of recommended amendments were made.
In April, the Lords voted in support of changes to the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill, which had initially been tabled as a way to guarantee minimum service levels in some roles such as fire, ambulance and rail services during strike action.
There were four suggested amendments:
- that the government should be scrutinised over plans to specify minimum services;
- that if an employee fails to comply with an ‘work notice’ order citing minimum service and requiring them to work this would not be grounds for dismissal;
- that a section was removed enabling employers to seek damages against trade unions that do not take reasonable steps to ensure employees comply with work notices; and
- that the bill’s scope would be limited to England.
Two of the amendments passed and the bill has now been returned to the House of Commons with the remaining amendments.
Speaking in the House of Lords today (10 May), Lord Sentamu said he hoped the amendments would remain in the legislation before it was formally passed.
“I beg the other place not to take the amendments out because it is the elected House,” he said, “I ask it to take them out because it thinks that that would improve the legislation. If it does not think that, please do not make us look like unruly people.”
Labour peer Lord Collins of Highbury felt there had been “no proper scrutiny”, and that MPs would have “no idea about the practical implications of the implementation of the powers that will be granted”.
He added that “this is a bad bill with certain consequences which will not improve industrial relations in this country—in fact, it will make them worse”.
“I hope that those amendments will be considered positively down the other end, but, as I have said at every stage of the bill, when Labour returns to government fairly shortly, we will repeal this legislation.”
The bill has met with controversy since it was introduced by Grant Shapps, the then business secretary, in January.
Unions accused the government of deploying a “dangerous gimmick” to silence unions and sack workers for enacting their right to strike.
Industrial action continues to dog many sectors, with new rail strikes announced earlier this month and further health sector strikes possible.
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
The “anti-strike” bill, as it has been called, was criticised by the Joint Committee on Human Rights in March. The JCHR said it conflicted with Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which guarantees “freedom of association”.
Employee relations opportunities on Personnel Today
Browse more Employee Relations jobs
