• Experts say government’s Strikes Bill will make Britain an international “outlier” on union laws

• Unions will be forced to “undermine” their own strikes, lawyers say

Leading employment lawyers have today (Saturday) warned that government’s new Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill will give ministers “unfettered power” to restrict the right to strike.

In a joint statement, the legal specialists say the new legislation will make Britain “an outlier” on strike laws compared to other European, Western democracies.

Those adding their names to the statement include:

• Alan Bogg, Professor of Labour Law, University of Bristol

• Keith Ewing, Professor of Public Law, King’s College London

• Ruth Dukes, Professor of Labour Law, University of Glasgow

Highlighting the new sweeping powers the Bill will give to ministers, the lawyers say:

“The legislation gives a Secretary of State a largely unfettered power to determine what a minimum level of service should be in a particular service, and consequently the circumstances in which and the extent to which workers in these sectors can lawfully exercise their freedom to strike.”

Highlighting how Britain risks becoming an international outlier on strike laws, the lawyers say:

“The Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill would place an unacceptable restriction on a worker’s right to take strike action to defend their terms and conditions of employment. It adds to an existing body of highly restrictive laws on strikes, including...

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