Busting 5 Tory myths on strike motion and ‘unaffordable pay rises’

As the federal government continues to sentence strike motion and ministers categorical their ‘disappointment’ at staff selecting to train their fundamental rights to safe truthful pay and situations, we assist fact-check some deceptive Tory narratives round strike motion.

1. ‘Putting staff don’t profit from strikes’

Penny Mordaunt advised Sky Information final week, “the one those that profit from strikes are the Labour Celebration” and that, “it’s a fable that strikes are useful”.

Here’s a list of the recent wins this 12 months alone from Unite the Union, nearly all of which had been secured instantly because of staff taking strike motion, together with pay rises price 28%.

Largely not too long ago London Abellio bus drivers received an 18% pay increase, which might by no means have been achieved had staff not saved going with their 20 days of strike motion this winter.

Moreover, the apply of withholding ones labour shouldn’t be new, and has helped safe fundamental employment rights all through historical past, together with the minimal wage.

So Mordaunt’s try to devalue the sacrifice of hanging staff serves a low blow.

2. ‘We will’t afford an inflation matching pay rise’

The federal government has argued that if we matched an inflation pay rise, it might add £1,000 to each family on this nation.

This narrative has been unfold by a number of Tory ministers who’ve instructed it might value £28 billion to present public sector staff a pay rise.

Lawyer Peter Stefanovic has known as this, ‘economically illiterate and economically unfaithful’ while the Institute for Fiscal Research mentioned these sums merely ‘don’t add up’.

This argument was utilized by the Well being Minister to undermine nurses pay, when she mentioned it might value the federal government £700 million for each 1% pay enhance given to nurses.

The BBC’s head of statistics mentioned this quantity ‘merely doesn’t apply’ except used for a a lot bigger pool of individuals, together with all non-medical workers similar to porters, ambulance workers, directors and senior figures, not simply nurses.

Subsequently, the figures are rendered irrelevant.

3. ‘Impartial’ Pay Evaluation Our bodies

The federal government has sought to shirk duty for staff’ demanding higher pay by hiding behind Pay Evaluation Our bodies.

They’re frequently used to justify the federal government’s refusal to extend pay gives to public sector staff and render union’s pay calls for as ‘unaffordable’, permitting strikes to proceed.

Nonetheless, the RCN has mentioned there’s ‘nothing impartial about them’ while Paul Nowak, Common Secretary of the TUC, accused the federal government of utilizing them as ‘a human defend’.

Authorities departments are themselves liable for appointing members in PRBs, who’re specialists and economists inside the private and non-private sector.

The remit of those ‘impartial’ our bodies is about out by the federal government, so any suggestions made are constrained by the sum of money on supply, which is pre-determined by ministers.

This implies any suggestions are already constrained by the monetary red-tape laid out by the federal government.

The federal government has additionally ignored the pay assessment our bodies previously, as their suggestions aren’t legally binding, undermining the federal government’s inflexibility over their refuse to budge on pay.

The Monetary Occasions not too long ago cited that public sector unions have misplaced belief within the independence of pay assessment our bodies, questioning if they’re nonetheless match for function.

4. ‘The UK should be introduced in-line with European strike legal guidelines’

European commerce unions have come out to sentence the UK authorities’s claims that new strike laws is important to deliver the nation in-line with European strike legal guidelines.

Ministers have continued to parrot that European nations have already got minimal security ranges, as an argument to push via their Minimal Service Ranges (MSL) Invoice.

Nonetheless, unions representing over 20 million staff have come out to strongly dispute these claims.

For instance in Italy, a employee who refuses to attend work beneath the phrases of an MSL can’t be threatened with the sack, which is what the UK’s anti-strike laws would allow. 

In France, collective bargaining protection is way more widespread. Over 95% of staff are lined by collective bargaining agreements and there’s no obligation to tell the employer or search to conclude an settlement earlier than strike motion within the personal sector.

Within the public sector, you must give 5 days’ discover (evaluate to 2 weeks within the UK).

While in Spain, social dialogue with commerce unions is enshrined within the structure.

5. ‘Minimal security ranges not being met throughout strike motion’

The federal government has continued to assert that strike motion poses a menace to public security, one other argument they’re peddling to get via the anti-strike laws.

Claims by Grant Shapps that ambulance staff weren’t assembly minimal service ranges on their strike days had been known as each ‘worrying’ and ‘severely deceptive’ by Unite the Union’s Head of Constitutional Affairs, Hannah Reed.

Ambulance trusts have continued to attract up emergency cowl provisions with unions forward of strikes to make sure operational wants are met on strike days.

Moreover, well being staff have mentioned they’re hanging in direct response to their incapacity to at present guarantee minimal security ranges of their occupation, attributable to extreme funding cuts and workers shortages – rendering this declare by the federal government ironic at greatest and harmful at worst.

Hannah Davenport is commerce union reporter at Left Foot Ahead

Left Foot Ahead’s commerce union reporting is supported by the Barry Amiel and Norman Melburn Belief

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