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Simon Lightwood MP has today slammed the Government’s attempts to use legislation to shut down industrial disputes, calling it a ‘fundamental attack on working people’s freedoms’.
MPs will vote on the Second Reading of the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels Bill) tonight.
The Bill would give the Government powers to create, impose and enforce minimum service levels across six key sectors: fire and rescue, education, transport, border security and the decommissioning of nuclear installations/management of radioactive waste and spent fuel.
Wakefield’s MP, Simon Lightwood said:
“This is fundamental attack on working people’s freedoms. The Tories have gone from clapping key workers to sacking them.
“The Government’s failed approach has led to the worst strikes in decades. At every stage they’ve sought to collapse talks and thrown in last minute spanners. Now they are having to resort to using legislation to shut down industrial disputes.
“The Tories claim is about public safety – but the Bill doesn’t mention safety once! We all want minimum standards of service and staffing in the NHS and on our railways, but ministers are failing to provide it at all.
“This Bill is unworkable and impractical and as the MP for Wakefield I will vote against it tonight and oppose it at every step.
“In power, Labour will end the Tories’ chaos with a new partnership of cooperation between trade unions, employers, and Government - meaning issues are resolved before strikes.”