As local press has reported, Gloucestershire nurses decided not to strike recently. It is a difficult decision for people to strike but also a difficult decision to not do what unions want. I gave my thanks to our nurses for all they do in a recent House of Commons debate.
There has been a lot of interesting opposition spin about the government’s Minimum Service Levels Bill. The proposed legislation is not going to stop people being allowed to exercise their right to strike, nor does it mean the government is trying to get public workers sacked. Anybody who reads the Bill and detail beyond headlines and social media clips can see that.
The aim is to guarantee a certain level of provision and safety in six sectors:
Health services
Fire and rescue services
Education services
Transport services
Decommissioning of nuclear installations and management of radioactive waste and spent fuel
Border security
The legislation would bring the UK in line with other countries across Europe (France, Germany, Spain…) but it does not go as far as parts of Canada, Australia and the USA who ban “blue light strikes”. (Those claiming that minimum service levels stop strikes might want to have a look at France at the moment.)
The hope is also that the legislation will never be used as it provides for agreements to be reached on minimum service and safety. The nurses’ union did just that recently and have been praised by government ministers in this regard. It is only if no agreement can be reached that the legislation kicks in.
I have spoken about my belief that strikes at the moment are not helping public services, the workers in them or those who rely on the services. In a post-pandemic period of international economic turmoil and inflationary pressures, the collective demands of unions will sadly make things worse. I therefore sincerely hope that demands will be significantly changed, and deals can be done so the country can move forward.
