On 6 August, the government announced that it will repeal the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023.
The introduction of minimum service levels during strike action was brought about by the Conservative government and applied to key public sector services including health, fire and rescue, education, transport and border control. When a trade union announced strike action, employers in these services were permitted to issue a notice to workers which would require minimum service provisions to continue to be provided for the duration of the strike. The law was passed following a year of widely reported strike action from hospitals, schools and railways in the pursuit of higher pay when inflation was rising rapidly.
A spokesperson for the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) commented:
“When it was first proposed, we expressed concerns that this law would not enhance employment relations or protect the public and that it could undermine trust between trade unions and employers. Good employment relations start with collaboration and partnership, and we support the repeal of this legislation which many employers had raised concerns about.”
The new Employment Rights Bill which is set to be introduced within the first 100 days of the new Labour Government, will remove this provision. The recent press release states that the Act has unduly placed restrictions on worker’s rights and undermines good industrial relations and is therefore “to be binned”. The new
Government states it is “committed to getting public services back on track and laying the foundations for a modern economy that Makes Work Pay.” It is also noted by the Government that no employer has used minimum service levels.
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