- Minimum Service Levels balance the ability of workers to
strike with the rights of the public, who expect essential
services they pay for to be there when they need them.
- Government will now launch a public consultation on the
reasonable steps unions should take to ensure their members
comply with a work notice given by an employer.
The Strikes (Minimum Service Level) Act has today [Thursday 20
July] received Royal Assent in Parliament, ensuring workers
maintain the ability to strike whilst giving the public access to
the essential services they need.
Government will now proceed with plans to implement minimum
service levels for passenger rail services, ambulance services
and fire and rescue services.
Minimum service levels will ensure a minimum service operates in
specified services during periods of strike action.
This will help protect the safety of the general public and
ensure essential services are there when they need them – whether
getting the train to work or being able to call an ambulance in
times of emergency.
This will follow public consultations on the most appropriate
approach for delivering Minimum Service Levels in passenger rail
and blue light services. The Government is currently analysing
responses and will respond in due course.
A public consultation will also be launched this Summer on the
reasonable steps unions must take to comply with a work notice
issued by employers under minimum service levels legislation.
This Government firmly believes that the ability to strike is an
important part of industrial relations in the UK, rightly
protected by law, and understands that an element of disruption
is inherent to any strike. But the public expects government
to act when their essential services are put at risk.
Business Minister said:
This legislation is an appropriate balance between the ability to
strike, and protecting lives and livelihoods.
The UK remains a world leader for workers’ rights and these new
laws will not prevent a union from organising industrial action.
Industrial action has had a strong impact on access to emergency
services and the UK economy, resulting in over 600,000
rescheduled medical appointments since December 2022 and at least
£1.2 billion lost in the period June 2022-23 according to
analysis by the Centre for Economic and Business Research (CEBR).
Following public consultation and approval by both Houses of
Parliament, the Government will be able to set minimum service
levels within key sectors, including emergency services, border
security, education, passenger rail and the nuclear sector.
Rail Minister said:
The ability of workers to take strike action is an integral part
of industrial relations, however, this should not be at the
expense of members of the public.
The passing of this Bill will help give passengers certainty that
they will be able to make important journeys on a strike day.
When minimum service levels are in force for a specified service,
if the relevant trade union gives notice of strike action,
employers can issue a work notice ahead of the strike, to specify
the workforce required to maintain necessary and safe levels of
service. They must consult with the relevant unions on the number
of persons and the work to be specified in the work notice and
take their views into account before issuing the work notice.
