“Irresponsible strike action” in health and education, planned by leaders of the union Unison, could not take place if proposals made by the Conservatives were enacted in Northern Ireland, according to the party’s North Down Westminster PPC, Mark Brotherston.
“Unison has called these latest strikes based on a ballot of its members with a 20% turnout”, Mark explained. “Over 80% either oppose or are indifferent to taking industrial action. It’s another example of union leaders, motivated by extreme political opinions, driving workers to strike, against their best interests and against the interests of tens of thousands of patients, pupils and parents. The Conservative Party is the only party which has committed to stop this pattern recurring time and again, if elected at the 2015 election.”
“Under Conservative plans, strikes affecting critical services like health, fire services or schools would require the backing of 40% of union members. We’d also require a minimum turnout of 50% in all strike ballots, to make the results a genuine reflection of the opinions of workers. These measures can protect employees’ right to strike, but they would also prevent industrial action from being hijacked by union leaders, motivated more by ideology than by members’ interests. It could also protect people, maybe of them vulnerable, from the effects of strikes like those planned by Unison. The Conservative Party respects the right to strike, but it would stop that right being abused by union leaders who want to hold people to ransom through industrial action.”