Unions facing threat of strike-law reform if pensions protest goes on

By Andrew Whitaker
Published on Monday 21 November 2011 12:18

SENIOR UK Cabinet ministers have threatened “very pressing” reforms to strike laws if a 24-hour trade union stoppage over changes to public sector pensions goes ahead at the end of this month.

Conservative Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude said legislation was kept “under review” and indicated that staging a mass walk-out at a time of economic turmoil would lead to a clampdown on trade unions, while Liberal Democrat Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander admitted the government was “looking at those things”.

However, the stark warnings from the UK ministers sparked an angry reaction from SNP finance secretary John Swinney, who attacked the Tory-Lib Dem coalition over plans to impose an increase of more than 3 per cent in the contributions public sector workers have to make to their pensions.

Mr Swinney yesterday said the pensions proposals was “a short-term cash grab” and that Scotland’s public-sector workers were “clearly concerned” about the move.

Mr Maude said legislation was kept under review, and that there was a “powerful case” to government calling for a minimum 40 per cent turnout on strike ballots before they were deemed legal.

He said: “We keep it under review, but the CBI have made a powerful case for change, others have as well.

“I have made this point to the unions, that if they do call out their members on strike at a time of huge fragility for our economy, where actually a widespread disruptive strike would cause immense damage to our economy, with a lot of people losing their jobs – people who don’t have access to pensions anywhere near as good as what public-sector workers will still have at the end of this – then actually the case for reform of the ballot laws, I think, will become very pressing.”

Mr Alexander, when asked about possible new strike laws, said: “Of course we have to look at those things [strike laws], and we are looking at those things.”

Mr Swinney said a “well-balanced” report from former UK Labour minister Lord Hutton had been “contaminated” by the Tory-led government wanting to increase public sector pension contributions.

Mr Swinney said: “It’s a short-term cash grab that’s clearly concerned public-sector workers.”

But the SNP minister insisted he would cross the picket line outside the Scottish Parliament on 30 November – the day of the strike – saying that “industrial action will disrupt services and I’d rather it was not happening”.

Labour MSP Richard Baker, who backs the strike, accused Mr Swinney and the SNP of wanting to “play political games and score political points” by crossing the picket line to attend a debate on pensions that day.

Meanwhile, a new survey revealed that than only one in ten people believed public-sector pensions were “gold-plated” and that people were more likely to trust trade unions than the government on the issue.

A poll of more than 1,000 adults commissioned by Unite showed unions were three times more trusted than the government for providing accurate information on the affordability of public-sector pensions.

Only 8 per cent of those questioned said they would regard a pension of £6,000 a year – the average for the public sector – as gold-plated.

Comments

There are 8 comments to this article

Order by:

• Newest first
• |
• Oldest first

Page 1 of 1

• 1
• Show all

8

Tintock Pete

Monday, November 21, 2011 at 04:06 PM

Tories laid the bait and the unions bit. Of course no union leader will lose out. Lions led by donkeys.

• Report Unsuitable

7

Moniker Lewinsky

Monday, November 21, 2011 at 01:55 PM

The extra contributions to be paid by the workers affected here are NOT going to their pension funds - they are going straight to the Treasury. These workers are already on a pay freeze & have seen the real value of their pensions fall by about 15% due to a move from the RPI to the CPI. That is grounds for a strike, because the Tories are just attacking them for ideological reasons, not practical ones. The Tories are desperate to take the unions on - good. Come ahead.

• Report Unsuitable

6

Auld Twa

Monday, November 21, 2011 at 09:33 AM

Isn't is fascinating how the Tory and LibDem coalition ministers can be so enthusiatic about the Arab Spring, Libyan and Syrian rebel forces, etc, yet so down on any form of protest against government here.

• Report Unsuitable

5

Phil C

Monday, November 21, 2011 at 09:19 AM

I'm disappointed with the SNP stance against reform of the seriously over generous, unfair and unaffordable public sector pensions. I know it's politically popular in Scotland to go against the coalition, but it seems a bit dishonest. They've a hard enough job sorting Labour's mess without the interference of petty political opportunism. Scotland will need honest government to carry us to independence. ........................................In the longer term I'd like to see one compulsory state backed pension for all workers, private, public and self-employed with a means tested State pension for those who need it. The wealthy can fund their own retirement!

• Report Unsuitable

4

Broon Bairn

Monday, November 21, 2011 at 09:11 AM

Shades of the infamous " 40% rule " during the 1979 devolution referendum? Again, when it suits them, "Britannia waives the rules" !

• Report Unsuitable

3

u005897

Monday, November 21, 2011 at 08:54 AM

Typical politicians of all persuasions, I am all right Jack, if it does not affect me, then implement changes, for better, or in this case worse.

• Report Unsuitable

2

A Thouroughly Decent Bloke

Monday, November 21, 2011 at 07:37 AM

SENIOR UK Cabinet ministers have threatened “very pressing” reforms to strike laws if a 24-hour trade union stoppage over changes to public sector pensions goes ahead at the end of this month.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Now, the reason senior cab ministers can push through strike law reform is because back when Blair and Brown were ratifying the Lisbon Treaty (without referendum), they also negotiated a deal in the Human Rights Charter whereby they could diminish and outlaw the right to strike. So our beloved "Union" and socialist government went out their way to ensure the ordinary worker cannot improve their situation by way of strike. That's Labour for you - hence the hypocrasy of Labour in Holyrood not crossing the picket line..........

• Report Unsuitable

1

Annie Baird

Monday, November 21, 2011 at 01:27 AM

Oh dear. Will Ed Miliband be hiding in the toilets for the whole day of strike action ? We already know he's against it. Doesn't stop him taking the unions money or votes though does it ? What a hypocrite.

• Report Unsuitable

Order by:

• Newest first
• |
• Oldest first

Page 1 of 1

• 1
• Show all

Logged in as:

Comment here. Start typing your comment here:

Post comment

Please adhere to our Community guidelines

Your view

Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.