The Conservative Party’s plans to increase the threshold for strike action would “effectively end the right to strike” for teachers and other key workers, a union leader has said.
If they win May’s general election, the Tories have said they will legislate to ensure that trade union ballots for strike action must be backed by 40 per cent of eligible union members in order to be valid.
The rules would cover key public sector workers – in health, transport, fire services and schools.
Furthermore, the proposals would also require that any strike action take place within three months of the ballot and would allow the use of agency staff to cover for striking workers – something currently banned. For schools in particular, there would also be a duty to remain open during strike action.
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