Unions Warn Government Over Strike Clampdown

Trade Union leaders have lined up to warn they will resist a Government clampdown on strikes under which walkouts will only be possible if 50% of members vote.

Len McCluskey, general secretary of the Unite union, called it "staggering" that the Conservative administration would "attack" union members who "clean our streets, care for our kids, work in our shops" while there was so much economic insecurity.

He said: "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."

Mick Whelan, leader of the train drivers' union Aslef, called it "shameful and scandalous" and accused the Conservatives of trying to "smash the trade unions".

He said the Government was elected on 36.9% of the popular vote.

"If this new hurdle is good enough for the unions, surely it should be good enough for members of Parliament, political parties and governments, too? Or is it one rule for them and another for the rest of us?" Mr Whelan asked.

Christine Blower, who leads the National Union of Teachers, said the new law would "seek to silence".

She said "there will no doubt be resistance" and argued that decent pay and conditions for her members had been won through political fights.

Manuel Cortes, leader of the TSSA rail union, said: "It is extraordinary that after more than 100 years of first past the post in public democratic elections in the UK, David Cameron wants to be the first Prime Minister who wants to use a handicapping system solely for union strike ballots."

The change in rules, contained in today's Queen's Speech , means that strike ballots would not only require that half of members turnout, but that 40% of those "eligible to vote" are in favour of a strike. That means that under the minimum requirement of a 50% turnout, 80% of those voting would have to say yes.

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On social media, critics pointed out that the threshold was significantly higher than that reached in elections for politicians.

Will Straw, who was Labour's unsuccessful candidate in Rossendale & Darwen and is the founder of the website Left Foot Forward, tweeted: "With the Trade Unions Bill imposing 50% turnouts, I presume Boris [Johnson] will step down since only 38% voted in the 2012 London mayoral election."

Recent strikes that went ahead under the coalition would no longer be permissible under the new rules.

For instance, an NUT ballot in 2011 had 92% of members voting in favour but with a turnout of just 40% it would fall below the threshold. In 2012, a ballot on pay and conditions had an even smaller turnout of 27%.