The House of Commons have voted on the Minimum Service Levels Bill. Thousands of workers rallied outside in protest at the proposed laws.
Last month, Scotland First Minister Humza Yousaf declared that the Scottish Government would “not issue a single work notice” under the proposed legislation.
Speaking ahead of the vote, Fire Brigades Union General Secretary Matt Wrack said:
MPs must vote down this anti-worker legislation.
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 – with at least one devolved administration saying it won’t issue work notices, and the FBU committed to building a mass movement of non-compliance if it becomes law.
We are seeing a workers’ revolt against a hard right government with no mandate for its policies. That revolt will continue whatever happens today.”
Following parliament's votes overturning the Lords' amendments, Matt Wrack added:
The Tories have declared war on firefighters, nurses, teachers, rail workers, paramedics and other workers, by forcing through parliament this latest attack on our rights.
It's outrageous that the government has ridden roughshod over the opposition by these key workers, who took to the streets outside parliament to protect their right to strike in defence of jobs and wages.
However, this vote in parliament is not the end of the fight against this authoritarian and undemocratic assault on employment rights. Far from it.
A mass campaign of opposition and defiance can make this law unworkable and ultimately defeat it.
Firefighters are among the main targets of this pernicious legislation.
Our union will be at the forefront of this campaign, which starts now."
