The government is trying to pass new laws which could see unions being sued if they do not provide minimum levels of service during industrial action.
A number of leading unions have reacted to the proposed legislation, saying the measures are “dangerous” and “undemocratic”.
So, how will the planned laws work, which sectors will they affect and when could they be put in place? Here’s what we know so far.
The government introduced a bill in Parliament on Tuesday 10 January which, if passed, could require vital public services to deliver minimum safety levels during strikes and allow employers to enforce them.
Minimum safety levels are the levels of service the government will expect to be provided, and will cover fire, ambulance and rail services. They could include maintaining core service provision in emergency services, and ensuring key transport, travel and trade routes don’t completely shut down on strike days.
If ministers use the powers set out in legislation, employers would be able to prevent the strike from taking place or seek damages afterwards if unions do not comply with their obligations.
Katie Russell, a partner in the employment law team at Burges Salmon, told FactCheck: “If the union fails to take all reasonable steps to ensure minimum service levels are met during any period of industrial action, then under the legislation, employers would have the right to sue the trade union for...
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