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The government is bringing forward new strike laws to “maintain a basic function and deliver minimum safety levels” in the public sector during industrial action, the business department has confirmed.
In a statement, it said the government would “always protect the ability to strike”, but added: “It must be balanced with the public’s right to life and livelihoods”.
The legislation will be put to the Commons “in the coming weeks” and set minimum service levels for fire, ambulance and rail services for when the sectors decide to take action.
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The government will consult on what those service levels should be, but said it would take into account that “disruption to blue light services puts lives at immediate risk”.
There had been reports that other sectors would also be covered by the new laws, including health, education, nuclear power, other transport services and border security.
But the department said it “expects to continue to reach voluntary agreements” with those unions and “would only look to consult on minimum safety levels should these voluntary positions not be agreed”.
And when it came to reports that unions could be sued if they don’t follow the new laws, the announcement said: “Trade unions will be bound to follow this legislation and will risk the employer bringing an injunction to prevent the strike from taking place or seeking damages afterwards if they do not comply with their obligations.”
Speaking to reporters, business secretary Grant Shapps said he would “rather we never have to go down this this route” and hoped that unions and employers could “get together and do sensible things in order to guarantee a minimum safety or service level in each different area”.
But he said recent ambulance strikes left the country with a “postcode lottery” of services, which was “unacceptable”, and the government would now have the power to…
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