Vince Cable warns unions against widespread strikes

Business secretary heckled as he tells GMB conference that widespread action would increase pressure for tightening of anti-strike laws The business secretary, Vince Cable, was booed and heckled as he warned unions that widespread industrial action over spending cuts could ratchet up pressure on the government to make it harder for workers to strike. Cable’s comments – backed by the chancellor, George Osborne – prompted a furious reaction from union leaders, who accused the government of issuing “veiled threats” to deny workers the basic right to strike by tightening what they say is already among the developed world’s toughest strike legislation. The Liberal Democrat minister gave a keynote address to the GMB’s annual conference in Brighton, in which he laid out the government’s desire to have a “mature relationship” with trade unions. But he warned the “usual suspects” calling for general strikes and widespread disruption in response to the cuts. Cable told the conference there was currently no “compelling” reason to reform the laws – an action some rightwingers, including the London mayor, Boris Johnson, have called for. However, he said this could change if a wave of strikes caused “serious damage” to the country’s economic and social fabric. It was the first explicit acknowledgment by a coalition minister that the government could legislate to prevent widespread strikes. Other ministers refrained amid fears of increasing tensions at a crucial point in talks designed to avoid a mass walkout across the public sector. Cable said: “Later this month, we may very well witness a day of industrial action across significant parts of the public sector. “The usual suspects will call for general strikes and widespread disruption. This will excite the usual media comments about a summer or an autumn of discontent, and another group of the usual suspects will exploit the situation to call for the tightening of strike law. “We are undoubtedly entering a difficult period. Cool heads will be required all round. Despite occasional blips, I know that strike levels remain historically low, especially in the private sector. On that basis, and assuming this pattern continues, the case for changing strike law is not compelling. “However, should the position change … the pressure on us to act would ratchet up. That is something which both you, and certainly I, would wish to avoid.” The minister’s trailed comments had been endorsed by Osborne as “absolutely right” earlier in the day. “Vince Cable … speaks for the government, of course, and I agree with him,” the chancellor told the BBC News Channel. “Of course we want a constructive relationship with the public sector unions. We have got important negotiations under way, for instance on pensions. What Vince is saying is if we go into a cycle of destructive strikes we would have to think again – but let’s hope we don’t get there.” Sarah Veale, the TUC’s head of equalities and employment rights, said: “The UK already has some of the toughest strike legislation in the developed world, so there is no justification for further curbs, as the minister himself acknowledges. “Restricting the right to withhold labour would also be completely at odds with the coalition’s commitment to civil liberties. Disputes are always better settled through negotiation with unions, rather than veiled threats to rig the law in the employers’ favour.” Mark Serwotka, the leader of the Public and Commercial Services union, said: “The right to strike is a basic human right. “Public sector workers are currently facing unprecedented ideological attacks on their jobs, pensions, pay and conditions which will throw the economy into further recession. “This government, and the bankers who caused the economic crisis, are inflicting the greatest damage to our economic and social fabric by cutting public sector jobs, axing vital services and attacking communities.” The Unite leader, Len McCluskey, accused Cable of cracking down on workers’ human rights, saying: “It is no coincidence that the government is engineering this fight now. All eyes have been on our comatose economy and the government’s colossal failure to address this. “Talking tough about cracking down on working people is a circus engineered by a government that is clueless about the real problems facing this country – how do we breathe life back into our shops, businesses and high streets and how do we get the millions on the dole back to work?” Cable’s comment about the “usual suspects” calling for legislation to be strengthened appeared to be aimed at Johnson, who critics say is pressing the government to beef up anti-strike laws because of his failure to make progress on a no-strike agreement with London’s tube unions. Johnson has called for a legislative change that would only allow strikes to go ahead if supported by a majority vote of a union’s membership rather than only those opting to take part in a ballot. Talks with the unions to negotiate a new pension deal for state employees – the only issue all the public sector unions have in common, and therefore the only one in which they could launch joint industrial action – are ongoing. It is understood the discussions are making little headway, with ministers refusing to back down on increasing workers’ contributions. Other unions representing up to six million public sector workers could then edge towards industrial action. One breakaway group of unions representing 500,000 state employees – including the PCS civil service union and some of the teaching unions – is currently preparing to strike on 30 June. Schools, courts, ports and Whitehall could all come to a standstill. The developments come amid warnings over the government’s economic strategy, with a group of leading economists calling for a “plan B” alternative to the coalition’s spending cuts Osborne insisted there was no need for a plan B and said his austerity measures would provide credibility and stability for the UK economy. Vince Cable Trade unions George Osborne Economic policy Liberal-Conservative coalition Public sector cuts Public services policy Public finance Public sector pay Hélène Mulholland Polly Curtis guardian.co.uk

Posted by on June 6, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.