-
Pernicious legislation is “dire” for workers in the UK
and across Europe
The TUC and ICTU have today (Thursday) joined forces to warn
about the impact of the Conservatives’ Strikes Act on future
UK-EU relations.
The Irish and UK union bodies say that the legislation could put
the UK in breach of its labour obligations under the UK-EU trade
and cooperation agreement.
They add that this could lead to “hefty sanctions” and “stoke
tensions” between the UK and the EU.
In a joint statement, the TUC and ICTU say:
“This matters for the UK’s future trading relationship with
Europe – including the Republic of Ireland.
“It risks putting the UK in breach of its labour standards
commitments in the Trade and Co-operation Agreement with the EU –
exposing the UK to hefty sanctions, and stoking UK-EU
tensions.
“This is the last thing working people in Northern Ireland
and the wider UK need – and it’s no good for working people in
the Republic of Ireland and the wider EU
either.”
The warning comes as unions from the UK and Ireland meet at the
annual Council of the Isles to discuss key issues facing working
people in the UK and Ireland.
The EU Commission recently put its concerns about the legislation
to the UK government.
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said:
“The Strikes Act is dire for workers in the UK and across Europe.
“The UK’s new laws are an attack on the fundamental right to
strike – they’re unworkable, undemocratic and very likely
unlawful.
“This really matters for UK trade with Europe.
“It could put the UK in breach of its post-Brexit trade agreement
with the EU. That could mean financial penalties on the UK, which
would hurt workers and businesses.
“And it would sour the UK’s relationship with the EU – including
the Republic of Ireland.
“That’s why we’ve joined forces with Irish unions to warn about
this pernicious legislation.
“Ministers are playing fast and loose with international
commitments because they want to distract from their appalling
economic record.”
ENDS
-Joint statement from ICTU and TUC.
The Conservative government’s Strikes Act is a brazen attack
on the right to strike.
It’s unworkable, undemocratic and very likely unlawful.
This matters for the UK’s future trading relationship with
Europe – including the Republic of Ireland.
It risks putting the UK in breach of its labour standards
commitments in the Trade and Co-operation Agreement with the EU –
exposing the UK to hefty sanctions and stoking UK-EU
tensions.
This is the last thing working people in Northern Ireland and
the wider UK need – and it’s no good for working people in the
Republic of Ireland and the wider EU either.
That’s why the EU commission was right to put on record its
concerns about the legislation to the UK government.
Ministers should raise the bar on workers’ rights – not lower
it.
Notes to editors:
-About ICTU: ICTU is the largest civil society
organisation on the island of Ireland, representing and
campaigning on behalf of some 800,000 working people. There
are currently 44 unions affiliated to Congress, north and south
of the border.
