Over the next few weeks the House of Lords will be discussing the Trade Union Bill, which amongst other things threatens the basic right to strike.
If the Bill is passed, employers will, for the first time, be able to break strikes by bringing in agency workers to cover for strikers. This could have big safety implications, lead to worse public services, and will undermine the right to strike.
The bill also proposes huge restrictions on peaceful picketing and protests. The lead person on a picket will have to give their name to the police – raising concerns about blacklisting and victimisation. There are lots of other proposals in the bill too – including attacks on union reps in the public sector, restrictions on how unions collect and spend their money and lots more unnecessary red tape.
Heartunions Week of Action 8-14 February 2016
From the 8 to 14 February 2016, the TUC will run a week of action against the Trade Union Bill. Called heartunions, it will showcase the vital work unions do – and tell the wider public why the Trade Union Bill threatens it.
Please join us in marking the heartunions week of action in your workplace or community. Throughout the week we're asking union members to tell the stories of how union reps have helped ordinary members – and to ask anyone who's not yet in a union to join.
On Tuesday 9 February, we'll host ‘The Big Workplace Meeting’, with Frances O'Grady and a very special guest beaming live into branch meetings all over the UK. And on Thursday 11 February we’ll be asking every trade union member to do something to make trade unions visible and proud in your community. All the information you need is at heartunions.
Threatening the right to strike and to organise has no place in a modern democracy. So let's show the government and the House of Lords that we are a modern, vibrant movement, and if they attack us, we'll respond by growing stronger.