Ministers have been accused of introducing a “scab charter” after their plans to allow agency workers to replace strikers were approved in the Commons. MPs voted 289 to 202, a majority of 87, in favour of the regulations, which were brought forward in response to the rail dispute which has seen thousands of workers go on strike in recent weeks.
Business minister Jane Hunt said change was needed to remove the “outdated blanket ban” on employment businesses supplying agency workers to cover official industrial action. She told the Commons: “Some trade unions appear to us to be looking to create maximum disruption in a bid to stay relevant rather than constructively seeking agreement with employers and avoid conflict.”
She added that the change did not restrict the ability of workers to go on strike and denied it would affect safety at work. But questions were raised about the availability of spare teachers, nurses and train drivers to fill in the gaps during a strike.
Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner said: “These proposals are anti-business and anti-worker. They will risk public safety, rip up workers’ rights, and encourage the very worst practices. And above all they will not prevent strikes, they will provoke them.”
Conservative MP Alec Shelbrooke (Elmet and Rothwell) voted against the plans, which he noted were not in the party’s 2019 general election manifesto. He said: “It seems to me that it was done very quickly in reaction to what’s going on in the public sector – which don’t get me wrong I completely think is the wrong place to take – but public sector employees represent a small proportion of employees in this country.
“The private sector does have quite a few unscrupulous employers and if people are going to lose their ability to have an effect when they withdraw their labour, then I am afraid they have effectively lost the ability to withdraw their labour.” Mr Shelbrooke, first elected in 2010, added: “For the first time in my entire parliamentary career I shall be voting against the Government tonight on the measure to bring in agency workers.”
Labour MP Ian Byrne (Liverpool West Derby) said the Government should be legislating to protect workers’ rights and to learn lessons from Covid. He said: “Instead tonight we’re voting on a scab charter for bad employers from a government that has picked its side.”
Both the National Education Union and NASUWT have threatened strikes over pay in the autumn term.
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