Tom Walker crosses the picket line to investigate the right to strike
Last week’s public sector strikes and the threat of further co-ordinated industrial action underline Unison leader Dave Prentice’s belief that his union is on a “collision course unless the government changes its policies”. Of course, these are not political strikes; despite the rhetoric, they are actions based on economic grievances. The government has proposed reforms to pension schemes across the public sector and there are threatened compulsory redundancies at the BBC. These are strikes in furtherance of a trade dispute and are protected actions because they follow an industrial rather than a political objective.
There is much disquiet at the likely wave of co-ordinated strikes, with calls for tougher legislation. We have seen the usual and understandable comments about the disruption to the lives of individuals caused when certain sectors take strike action. However, such inconvenience is not a reason for prohibiting strike action. While strikes in certain services such as the military and the police are illegal, these are exceptions to the rule.
In times of national emergency the government can
