Transport workers face a much tougher threshold for industrial action after Conservatives used the Queen’s Speech to confirm plans to 'protect essential public services against strikes'.
Under planned reforms to strike laws in the Trade Unions Bill, the Government will ban strike action unless there is at least a 50% turnout in union ballots, while in the key areas of transport, health, education and fire, strikes also require the support of at least 40% of all those entitled to vote.
In its manifesto, the Conservatives also said they would overturn the 'nonsensical' restrictions banning employers from hiring agency staff to provide cover during strike action.
Ministers also pledged to reduce trade union facility time and legislate to ensure trade unions use a transparent opt-in process for union subscriptions.
Unite general secretary, Len McCluskey said: 'Unite has said repeatedly that the way to increase turnouts in strike ballots is not to make it harder for people to exercise fundamental rights, but to modernise voting. This can be easily achieved through consensus and discussion, and without the division and fear that the government’s approach prefers.
'We urge this government to think again. People will not be fooled by claims to be the party of working people, if freedoms and democracy are swept away in a tide of repressive laws and showy PR.'
Also over this parliament the Government intend to bring forward the Enterprise Bill, intended to cut red tape for small businesses and drive forward economic growth.
The Bill outlines plans to improve the business rates system ahead of the planned reform in 2017 and measures to allow the Valuation Office Agency to share information with local government.
As trailed earlier this week, the Government will also scrap six figure ‘golden goodbyes’ for public sector workers, with a cap expected to be fixed at £95,000.
Chancellor George Osborne said this measure would ensure ‘fairness and value for money for the taxpayer’.
In 2013, 1,838 public sector employees received redundancy payouts of more than £100,000.
