Unions want improved labor relations under a Labor government

Union leaders have accused the Conservative government of misjudging the public mood over strikes after an unprecedented wave of industrial action stretching back two years.

They expressed the hope that a future Labor government would improve employment relations amid continuing walkouts.

Hundreds of thousands of workers, including nurses, junior doctors, teachers, train drivers, lawyers, civil servants, council staff and university lecturers, have taken industrial action since June 2022, seen as the start of a period of industrial unrest.

Many of the disputes were fueled by rising inflation and the impact of the cost of living crisis.

Disputes remain unresolved, including those involving train drivers, seafarers, job center guards and junior doctors, who will strike again in England for five days from June 27.

The ministers thought they could turn the public against the workers’ strike, but the complete opposite happened

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak

Union leaders blame the Conservative government for many of the disputes, particularly in the public sector, where pay has failed to keep pace with inflation for more than a decade.

Paul Nowak, general secretary of the TUC, believes the government has completely misjudged the plight of workers and the public.

“Ministers thought they could turn the public against the workers’ strike, but the complete opposite happened,” he told the PA news agency.

“The government’s response to industrial action was to bring in draconian legislation on minimum service levels during strikes, which no employer has been foolish enough to use.

“We need proper, enhanced industrial relations and I believe a Labor government will commit to working with unions to repair public services.”

Nowak accused ministers of engaging in “culture wars” against workers such as civil servants and said they have no real concept of the value of public services.

Mick Lynch, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, accused the government of being behind the many disputes in the rail industry.

He told the PA: “They could have resolved the disputes sooner if they had allowed the unions to get on with the work of engaging in industrial relations.”

Mr Lynch said public sector workers would be looking for quick fixes under a Labor government which would “calm things down”.

The economic chaos of the Conservative government has been the backdrop to the disputes

GMB General Secretary Gary Smith

He added: “Labour’s new deal for workers will be the first step and we will continue to press them to deliver a working-class agenda and liberate unions in the workplace.

Gary Smith, general secretary of the GMB, revealed that his union has held 1,800 industrial action ballots over the past year, involving 75,000 workers, which highlights the level of unrest.

“The Tory government’s economic chaos has been the backdrop to the disputes because it has had a huge impact on jobs across the country,” he told the PA.

“There has also been a new era of trade union leaders and activists.

“The New Labor Deal will be a very strong signal of a desire to engage working people and give them a voice as the Government and employers have refused to listen to legitimate concerns.

“I hope that having ministers prepared to engage and listen to our concerns will be of great help.”

Smith also believes the Tory government misjudged the mood of the public, saying: “They believed people would be hostile to strikes, but the opposite was true. Post-Covid, people appreciated frontline workers and there was a huge outpouring of support for ambulance staff, waste collection workers and others who have been on strike.”

Two years after the summer of discontent, workers across the country have made huge gains and our members have helped lead the way

Jo Grady, University and College Union

University and College Union general secretary Jo Grady said: “Two years into the summer of discontent, workers across the country have made huge gains and our members have helped lead the way.

“The University and College Union mobilized like never before, winning not one but two national votes and forcing universities to agree to fully restore our pension benefits. This is the biggest victory for pensions in the history of British unions.

“Meanwhile, in further education, we took strike action for fair pay across England, winning pay awards of up to 12% at over 60 colleges.

“Now we must continue the fight and make sure workers everywhere get their fair share.”

Kevin Hollinrake, small business minister, said: “The Labor manifesto makes it clear that a Labor government would hand power to the unions, leading to a massive tax increase to accommodate the unions’ outlandish wage demands.

“Working families and businesses would pay the cost of Labor giving up on their union wages, forced to suffer higher taxes and lower growth, while train drivers’ pay rises ever higher.

“Only Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives will take the bold action needed to cut taxes and control public sector wages.”