Vince Cable warns GMB against co-ordinated strikes

Business Secretary Vince Cable was booed and heckled as he warned delegates at the GMB union's conference that co-ordinated strike action may lead to tougher union laws. Unions say there could be significant public sector strikes on 30 June. Mr Cable said that if the level of strikes remained low there would not be a compelling case for tighter laws. But he warned that the pressure on him to act would ratchet up if there was widespread disruption. Mr Cable was heckled, and met with boos and jeers at various points throughout his speech, the only cheers coming when he mentioned the prospect of a day of industrial action across significant parts of the public sector. Ahead of the speech, GMB general secretary Paul Kenny told the BBC that he was disappointed that Mr Cable was going to attack the unions, having been invited to talk about jobs.

Rules on industrial action:

• A strike may be called if a simple majority of those who respond to the ballot vote in favour of strike action.
• The action must begin within four weeks of the ballot (or eight weeks if the trade union and employer agree to an extension), with a minimum one week's notice being given to the employer.
• Union members are not obliged to go on strike - you can choose whether you wish to take part in the industrial action your trade union has called.
• There is no minimum turn-out required for the ballot to be valid.

Source: Directgov

"I don't think that any strike in this country could inflict the sort of economic damage on our country that the banks and finance houses and frankly current government policy have done," he said. "It's funny how ministers encourage strikes in Egypt and places like that, but they want to ban them in Britain." Addressing delegates in Brighton, Mr Cable said: "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, and should strikes impose serious damage to our economic and social fabric, the pressure on us to act would ratchet up."

Analysis

Despite Vince Cable's warning and pressure from Boris Johnson and various employers' groups, the government is in no rush to introduce fresh anti-strike legislation - for the moment. On the Conservative side of the coalition there is a fear of reviving old memories of the Thatcherite onslaught on the unions. There is also a view that outside of London and the stoppages called by Bob Crowe's RMT on the London Underground, strikes simply aren't a problem. They are at an historic 80-year low. But most importantly ministers do not want to act unless and until there is public support for new strike legislation. However, that public mood may change if there are a wave of strikes this autumn in protest at reforms to public sector pensions. And if public opinion hardens against the unions this autumn, then there will be huge pressure on the government to legislate. "That is something which both you, and certainly I, would want to avoid," he said to loud jeers from the audience, at which point the chair had to intervene. Mr Cable conceded that feelings were running high in the trade union movement, as demonstrations in March showed. But he called for unions and the government to work together to deal with economic challenges. "I want a mature and productive relationship with trade unions," he said.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, and employers' organisation the CBI have already called for tougher trade union laws. Mr Johnson wants laws to prevent a strike taking place unless at least half of the union members in a workplace take part in a ballot. He has criticised the government as being "lily-livered" for not taking firmer action. The CBI has called for a minimum of 40% of union members balloted to be in favour of a strike before it can take place. Some 250,000 civil servants in the PCS union are currently being balloted on whether to take strike action over government spending cuts. Any PCS action could lead to co-ordinated walkouts, with 750,000 teachers, lecturers and other workers taking part in the largest joint-union walkout in years.

Source: BBC [accessed 6/6/2011]