London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Mar 04, 2026

Union protest against law on minimum service levels during strikes

Union protest against law on minimum service levels during strikes

The TUC is warning that workers could be sacked even if they legally vote to take industrial action.
A protest is being held on Monday against the Government’s controversial legislation on minimum levels of service during strikes, which unions warn could lead to workers being sacked for legally voting to take industrial action.

Union leaders involved in the current wave of strikes will speak at the event in Parliament Square and will criticise the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill, which returns to Parliament for MPs to discuss amendments put forward by the Lords.

The TUC has warned that the right to strike of one in five workers is at risk, as the Bill means that when workers lawfully vote to strike in health, education, fire, transport, border security and nuclear decommissioning, they could be forced to attend work and sacked if they do not comply.

The TUC said MPs have been given few details on how minimum service levels will operate, adding that the legislation has faced a “barrage” of criticism, including from employer groups.

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak told the PA news agency that Conservative MPs should “vote with their conscience” and oppose the Bill.

It’s no surprise that politicians, employers and rights groups are queuing to condemn this spiteful Bill

He warned that the legislation would worsen industrial relations and prolong strikes.

“Do MPs really want to see teachers, nurses or railway workers sacked for taking lawful industrial action?

“This draconian legislation is a step too far.

“It’s undemocratic, unworkable and if it gets onto the statute book very likely unlawful, and it will poison industrial relations and exacerbate disputes rather than help resolve them.

“It’s no surprise that politicians, employers and rights groups are queuing to condemn this spiteful Bill.”

Mr Nowak said the TUC will explore “every possibility” of mounting a legal challenge to the legislation when it becomes law.

“Ministers must step back from the brink, ditch this draconian Bill for good and protect the right to strike.”

He warned of a “huge reaction” if and when the first worker is sacked under the legislation.

Labour has promised to repeal the Bill if it wins the next general election.

The House of Lords put forward a number of amendments, including ensuring that failure to comply with a so-called work notice under the legislation was not a breach of contract so a worker could not be sacked.

The Lords also want an amendment that unions do not have any responsibility or obligation to ensure their members comply with a work notice.

Speakers at the protest will include Mr Nowak and Mick Lynch, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, which has been embroiled in a long-running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions.

Fire Brigades Union general secretary Matt Wrack said: “The UK already has the most restrictive anti-union laws in the developed world and the result of this is that we have suffered from falling wages and sharper exploitation.

“An inspiring wave of resistance has swept the country in the past year, but instead of negotiating with workers, this Government of millionaires is seeking to have key workers sacked and victimised. They want to drive wages down even further so their big business backers can cash in.

“There is a growing movement of resistance to this legislation and the FBU is committed to building a mass movement of non-compliance if it becomes law.

“We are seeing a workers’ revolt against hard-right government with no mandate for its policies. That revolt will continue whatever happens today.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Says UK–US ‘Special Relationship’ Is Diminished Amid Middle East Dispute
UK Economic Forecasts Face Fresh Strain from Middle East Conflict and Rising Energy Costs
UK Reaffirms Close US Ties After Trump’s Public Criticism
Reeves Stresses Stability and Fiscal Discipline in UK Budget Update as Growth Outlook Shifts
UK Deploys Royal Navy Destroyer HMS Dragon to Cyprus After Drone Strike on RAF Base
Green Party Surges Past Labour in New UK Poll as Traditional Party Support Crumbles
Majority of Britons Oppose U.S. Use of UK Military Bases in Iran Conflict
UK Intensifies Evacuation Efforts from Oman, Working with Airlines to Boost Flight Capacity
Trump Condemns UK and Spain in Unusually Sharp Rift Over Iran Military Action
Trump Repeats UK Claims That Diverge from Verified Facts Amid Diplomatic Strain
UK Arrests Prominent Figures Linked to Epstein Network as Questions Mount Over US Action
Trump Says UK ‘Took Far Too Long’ to Approve Use of Airbases for Iran Strikes
Scope of Britain’s Role in the Expanding Middle East Conflict Comes Under Scrutiny
Trump Says He Is ‘Very Disappointed’ in Starmer Over Iran Comments
U.S. Embassy in Riyadh Struck by Drones Amid Escalating Iran Conflict
Starmer Confronts Strategic Test After Drone Strike Near British Base in Cyprus
Rolls-Royce Chief Signals Openness to Germany Joining UK-Led Fighter Jet Programme
UK Stocks Slip as Escalating Iran Conflict Triggers Global Market Selloff
UK Overhauls Asylum System to Make Refugee Status Temporary
Starmer Warns of ‘Reckless’ Iranian Strikes Amid Escalating Regional Tensions
British Base in Cyprus Targeted as Drones Intercepted Amid Expanding Iran Conflict
Starmer Diverges from Trump on Iran Strategy, Rejects ‘Regime Change from the Skies’
U.S. and Israel Intensify Strikes on Iran as Conflict Expands to Lebanon and Gulf States
Violent Pro-Iranian Protesters Storm U.S. Consulate in Karachi
Missile Debris Sparks Fires at Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port Near Palm Jumeirah
Iran Strikes U.S. Fifth Fleet Headquarters in Bahrain Amid Wider Gulf Retaliation
When the State Replaces the Parent: How Gender Policy Is Redefining Custody and Coercion
Bill Clinton Denies Knowing Woman in Hot Tub Photo During Closed-Door Epstein Deposition
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton Testifies on Ties to Jeffrey Epstein Before Congressional Oversight Committee
Dyson Reaches Settlement in Landmark UK Forced Labour Case
Barclays and Jefferies Shares Fall After UK Mortgage Lender Collapse Rekindles Credit Market Concerns
Play Exploring Donald Trump’s Rise to Power by ‘Lehman Trilogy’ Author to Premiere in the UK
Man Arrested After Churchill Statue Defaced in Central London
Keir Starmer Faces Political Setback as Labour Finishes Third in High-Profile By-Election
UK Assisted Dying Bill Set to Fall Short in Parliament as Regional Initiatives Gain Ground
UK Defence Ministry Clarifies Position After Reports of Imminent Helicopter Contract
Independent Left-Wing Plumber Secures Shock Victory as Greens Surge in UK By-Election
Reform UK Refers Alleged ‘Family Voting’ Incidents in By-Election to Police
United Kingdom Temporarily Withdraws Embassy Staff from Iran Amid Heightened Regional Tensions
UK Government Reaches Framework Agreement on Release of Mandelson Vetting Files
UK Police Contracts With Israeli Surveillance Firms Spark Debate Over Ethics and Oversight
United Airlines Passenger Hears Cockpit Conversations After Accessing In-Flight Audio Channel
Spain to Conduct Border Checks on Gibraltar Arrivals Under New Post-Brexit Framework
Engie Shares Jump After $14 Billion Agreement to Acquire UK Power Grid Assets
BNP Paribas Overtakes Goldman Sachs in UK Investment Banking League Tables
Geothermal Project to Power Ten Thousand Homes Marks UK Renewable Energy Milestone
UK Visa Grants Drop Nineteen Percent in 2025 as Migration Controls Tighten
Barclays and Jefferies Among Banks Exposed to Collapse of UK Mortgage Lender MFS
UK Asylum Applications Edge Down in 2025 Despite Rise in Small Boat Crossings
Jefferies Reports Significant Exposure After Collapse of UK Lender MFS
×