Tory strike proposals are an attack on both civil liberties and living standards

Speaking at a press conference on the first day of the 2014 TUC Congress, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:

“The key message of this year’s congress is Britain needs a pay rise and I also expect many of the debates on the floor to focus on the importance of the coming general election for people at work.

“Today, I want to highlight the threat posed by the Conservative Party’s promised manifesto proposals on strike ballots.

“Because these proposals are designed to make unions weaker. And if unions become weaker, then the chances of people winning a pay rise, improving living standards and tackling inequality in Britain today will become a good deal harder.

“The Conservative Party is not just proposing a few more bureaucratic obstacles that will make life a bit more difficult for trade unions.

“Taken together, they would effectively ban strikes by the back door. And, on top of that, they would open up elected union leaders to increased surveillance by the state.

Read More