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Mick Lynch is doing Mick Lynch things again. Fresh from leading a successful campaign on behalf of RMT, the union boss is now reaching out to represent all workers – and he has vowed to derail any attempts to implement ‘Minimum Service Laws’.
The proposed legislation would give companies the right to compel striking workers to return to service, and fire those who fail to heed the instruction. The severe limitations on the right to strike has angered Mr. Lynch and his senior colleagues.
The new laws are an attempt to curb the wave of strikes that crippled public services across the country, over the last 18 months or so. Rather than recognising their own shortcomings, the Tories seem happier to clamp-down on workers’ rights.
In Mick Lynch, however, they have found a formidable adversary. The no-nonsense leader has warned companies against ‘being stupid enough to enforce’ the legislation, vowing to launch a ‘concerted campaign’ against any organisation that does.
He also called on organisations with huge public power and oversight to refuse issuing work notices. Lynch made it clear that the devolved governments of Wales and Scotland, alongside regional mayors, must resist such instructions from Westminster.
“We cannot rely on politicians of any stripes to look after workers. We can’t rely on employers either, they will use every measure in this legislation to defeat strikes. If unions and workers are attacked by this law, they will have our full support.”
“We will support unions financially and politically if they are sanctioned by these laws. We will lead a concerted campaign against anyone who is stupid enough to use this legislation to block our right to strike, or punish workers for continuing the struggle.”
“The first step is to formally demand all public bodies with oversight, such as the Welsh and Scottish Governments, the London Mayor, and all other regional mayors, that they will never issue a work notice on our union. If they do, they’ll permanently poison industrial relations.” | Mick Lynch
