Unions criticise the Government after a 12 months of strikes
U
nion leaders have attacked the Government’s function in industrial disputes forward of the anniversary of the primary strike by railway employees, which has led to an unprecedented wave of walkouts up to now 12 months.
One official mentioned the Government is “completely to blame” for the wave of walkouts throughout the nation nearly each week since a 12 months in the past.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) staged their first stoppage on June 21 final 12 months in a dispute over pay, jobs and situations.
That dispute, which stays unresolved, is seen as the beginning of a stream of high-profile strikes by employees starting from barristers, academics, nurses, junior medical doctors, college lecturers and civil servants, to cleaners and posties.
Latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures present there have been 3.7 million working days misplaced in labour disputes within the UK within the 11 months to April, the very best quantity in an 11-month interval in over 30 years.
That determine will improve with strikes persevering with on the railways, NHS, schooling and Civil Service, and the prospect of extra motion by nurses.
Peter Turnbull, professor of administration and industrial relations on the University of Bristol Business School, mentioned: “This first anniversary marks an important milestone in the UK’s contemporary industrial relations history.
“More than three-quarters of the days lost came from transport, storage, information and communications, but daily life has also been affected by strikes in our schools and universities, the NHS, and Civil Service.
“After the longest period of falling real wages since records began, pay has understandably dominated the headlines, but the causes of these ongoing disputes run much deeper after years of austerity, consequent work intensification and falling standards of service provision.
“All strikes are eventually ‘settled’, but workers will remain unsettled by this prolonged period of industrial action for years to come.”
Nurses are seeing that the general public backs them, whereas the truth that public assist has risen ought to urgently focus consideration in Downing Street
The PA news company has interviewed common secretaries of a number of unions which have taken motion, and they’re all essential of the Government in addition to employers.
Pat Cullen, of the Royal College of Nursing, mentioned: “In the last year we have seen levels of strike action that few people could have imagined, with next month marking a year since the RCN announced it would ballot its members.
“That ballot led to unprecedented action from nursing staff who are standing up for their patients – they will no longer tolerate the low pay that fails to attract and retain people in the profession and puts patients at risk.
“In the final days of our ballot for further action, new polling has shown public support for nurses striking is unwavering, with support actually rising since the eve of the first strike in December last year.
“Nurses are seeing that the public backs them, while the fact that public support has risen should urgently focus attention in Downing Street.”
There is little question that the Government is totally accountable
Mark Serwotka, of the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS), mentioned: “There is no doubt that the Government is completely to blame, fuelled by an unprecedented cost-of-living crisis in which workers have been squeezed like never before.
“Ministers have been appalling. They assumed there would not be the stomach for a fight, but they made a catastrophic mistake.
“The Government has now made concessions to Civil Service unions, but only after months of action, ranging from national strikes, to targeted action in departments or areas such as the Border Force.”
Mick Whelan, of the practice drivers’ union Aslef, mentioned a latest overwhelming vote by his members to proceed taking industrial motion for the subsequent six months reveals their willpower to safe an honest pay rise.
My members get a number of assist from the general public when they’re on picket traces
Drivers have been “demonised” by the Government and a few commentators are eager to focus on how a lot they’re paid, however the level of the dispute is that many drivers haven’t had a pay rise for 4 years, he mentioned, including: “They asked us to run trains during the pandemic so that key workers could get to work and our reward was having no pay rise for years and threats to rip up terms and conditions.”
Mick Lynch, of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT), mentioned the rail strikes have continued for therefore lengthy as a result of the Government determined to “dig in” initially of the dispute.
“They thought the strikes would be blown away in a few weeks, the public would turn against us and they told the train companies they would be indemnified against any losses during industrial action.
“The then transport secretary Grant Shapps was highly regarded at that stage. He said he was going to get thousands of agency workers to cover for those on strike and ban overtime – but it all backfired.”
Mr Lynch mentioned it grew to become clear that the employers had been prevented from negotiating and had their fingers tied by the Government.
“It is actually in their contracts. The Secretary of State is entirely responsible for industrial relations.
“We have spent hundreds of hours talking to the employers but we have never got to the point of having an acceptable deal, even when the cost to the economy of the dispute – said to be £5 billion – is more than it would have taken to get a settlement.”
Mr Lynch mentioned RMT members are ready to proceed taking industrial motion “for as long as it takes” and believes their motion over the previous 12 months has been an inspiration to different employees who’ve turn out to be embroiled in disputes.
“My members get a lot of support from the public when they are on picket lines – and I’ve been stopped in the street by City gents congratulating me on our campaign.”
TUC common secretary Paul Nowak mentioned the wave of commercial motion over the previous 12 months is unprecedented, and reveals that employees have determined they don’t need to settle for continued real-terms pay cuts.
He believes the Government has “clearly been pulling the strings” of the rail dispute and thought the general public would flip in opposition to hanging unions, however there isn’t a proof of a public backlash.
Christina McAnea, of Unison, praised her NHS members whose largest strike motion in many years “won the hearts of the public”, which she mentioned pressured the Government to return to the desk with extra money – and the Environment Agency, Care Quality Commission and college workers who’re nonetheless in dispute.
“There have been some brilliant moments on the picket lines,” she mentioned. “Our members braved hours of freezing weather to stand up for what’s right – not only for themselves, but for their colleagues and for the future of our public services.”
Strikes are taking place as a result of working individuals have merely had sufficient of this relentless assault on their residing requirements
Gary Smith, of the GMB, mentioned: “For millions – NHS workers, carers, retail staff and so many more – this brutal cost-of-living crisis has become a permanent nightmare.
“Strikes are happening because working people have simply had enough of this relentless attack on their living standards.
“Bosses everywhere must start listening to the real problems being faced and deliver pay rises that stop their employees from continually getting poorer.”
Jo Grady, common secretary of the University and College Union, mentioned over the previous 12 months the union has mobilised “like never before”, profitable two nationwide ballots.
“Thanks to our members’ steadfastness on picket lines we are on the verge of seeing our retirement benefits restored, in full.
“This will be the biggest pensions win in British trade union history.
“Our fight for improved pay and conditions continues, but, make no mistake about it, every employer now knows that this union can win national ballots, any time, any place and under any circumstances.”
A Government spokesperson mentioned: “As the whole country deals with cost-of-living pressures, we must ensure settlements are fair, affordable for the taxpayer and reasonable, allowing us to bring down inflation which will benefit everyone.
“Industrial action should always be a last resort. The Government will continue to engage constructively with trade unions and is prepared to agree reasonable and affordable settlements if unions come to the table, as we have already done with both NHS unions and the RMT.”