A rally will take place in Glasgow to oppose Tory anti-strike legislation as part of a day of national action by the trade union movement. Anas Sarwar will be among the speakers at the event in Glasgow Trades Hall at 7pm on Wednesday, February 1, where he will launch a strong condemnation of the legislation pushed by the UK Government.
The Scottish Labour leader said the bill was “an attempt to undermine workers’ rights”. The UK Government introduced a bill earlier this month which would allow employers to sue unions and sack workers if they did not provide a certain level of service.
They would require a minimum number of staff having to work during a strike “to protect the public during strike action”. But the SNP, Labour and unions have warned it could see key workers facing the sack if they strike and lead to more walkouts.
The Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) has called for a “broad coalition” to defeat the UK Government’s plans to introduce minimum service levels within the public sector, which would restrict the right to strike for union members throughout the country.
Sarwar said: “This attack on the right to strike is the Tories doubling down on their long record of treating frontline workers with contempt. This draconian anti-trade union legislation is not about protecting public services, it’s an attempt to undermine workers’ rights and distract from 13 years of failure on the Tories’ watch.
“Across the UK, Tory mismanagement has seen real-term wages plummet, leaving workers on average £1628 a year worse off. The Tories expect the people of Scotland to believe the key workers we clapped for throughout the pandemic are part of the problem - it is a disgrace. Labour could not be clearer - we will repeal this disgraceful legislation and transform Scotland and the UK’s economy to put working people first.”
STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said: “It’s deeply welcome that Anas has agreed to address our rally, showing the clear support from Scottish Labour in opposing this Tory attack on workers’ rights. The support of Scottish Labour, in addition to MSPs across Holyrood, will be absolutely vital as we seek to defy any restrictions on the rights of workers to withdraw their labour.
“We need to see support from all movements - political, social and throughout our communities - to consign this pernicious piece of legislation back to the dustbin.”
The rally at Glasgow Trades Hall coincides with over 300,000 workers across the UK taking industrial action. Education unions EIS and UCU, in addition to transport and civil service unions RMT, ASLEF and PCS, look set to walk out in the continuing dispute over terms, conditions and cuts to services.
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