Dear Brother/Sister
Workers’ rights under attack: an answer to the Prime Minister from European trade unions
As we have previously informed you, the Conservative government is embarking on further attacks on our rights as workers through new legislation; the Strikes (minimum service levels) Bill. The Prime Minister and others have argued that they have based this legislation on similar laws in place in France, Italy and Spain. I attach a letter to Rishi Sunak from Jan Willem Goudriaan, the General Secretary of the European federation of Public Sector Union (EPSU) which answers these claims.
As the letter points out, there are significant differences between the position in Europe, including in France, Italy and Spain and in the UK.
- Workers in Italy, France and Spain have an explicit right to strike. This is set out in the constitution of each country.
- In the UK, no such constitutional right exists; merely limited immunity against being sued and limited protection against being dismissed.
- In the three countries mentioned there are no legal requirements for ballots for industrial action. This is in stark contrast to the highly restrictive legal requirements in the UK.
- In each of the countries mentioned, as well as elsewhere in much of Europe, workers also enjoy greater protections than exist for workers in the UK.
The FBU is a particular target of this latest attack from the conservative government. We urge all FBU members to become fully involved in the campaign to defend our rights.
Yours in unity
Matt Wrack
General Secretary
