UNIONS PLOT CRIPPLING SERIES OF STRIKES
TRADE union leaders yesterday threatened a winter of strike mayhem in their campaign for a pay hike for public-sector workers.
Delegates at the Trades Union Congress in Brighton heard a string of calls for industrial action.
One even urged workers to break strike laws, claiming: “They’re not going to lock us all up.”
And the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union called for a national rail strike to grind the UK to a halt.
It follows hints from ministers that the one per cent cap on annual pay rises put on the public sector seven years ago will soon be lifted.
Many unions now want a five per cent hike for nurses, teachers, council staff and civil servants.
Mark Serwotka, of the Public and Commercial Services Union, said: “There is a crisis in public sector pay and now is the time for action. Wouldn’t it be great if we could have co-ordinated ballots in the run-up to the Budget?”
The PCS is balloting members on industrial action, a move being followed by some sections of the Prison Officers Association.
Outrageous
Mr Serwotka said PCS members had a 10 per cent cut under the cap, rising to 20 per cent by 2020.
Unison general secretary Dave Prentis said: “We must commit to marching, demonstrating and lobbying – not just in Westminster, but in Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh. We need public events in every major city and town and joint ballots for industrial action.”
Gail Cartmail of Unite said the cap was “contaminating” many private firms who have followed suit. A national rally will be held in Westminster in October.
Ronnie Draper, of the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union, said: “They’re not going to lock us all up – there aren’t enough jails. Let’s ballot for a general strike.”
Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell said Labour backed the calls for mass action. He said: “The crisis in our public services is a crisis made in Downing Street.
“The pay cap must now be lifted across the whole public sector rather than by playing one group of workers off against another.”
But Tory MP Julian Knight said: “It is, frankly, outrageous that John McDonnell is encouraging trade union bosses to shut down public services with a wave of strikes.”