Trade Union Bill

IN today's House of Common's debate on the Trade Union Bill the Conservative MP, David Davis, has attacked parts of the government’s trade union bill, suggesting proposed restrictions on pickets were like something out of Franco’s dictatorship in Spain.

'There are bits of it which look OTT, like requiring pickets to give their names to the police force,' said David Davis on Sky News’ weekly Murnaghan programme:

'What is this?  This isn’t Franco’s Britain, this is Queen Elizabeth II’s Britain.'

MPs are debating the trade union legislation today.  The reforms proposed include a 50 per cent turnout threshhold for industrial action, tighter restrictions on picketing, a vote in favour by at least 40 per cent of eligible members if the strike involves 'important public services,' and the requirement to re-ballot on strike action after four months.

In addition employers will need 14 days’ notice of a strike rather than the current seven, giving them a longer buffer period in which to arrange strike-covering agency workers, and unions will have to give the police two weeks’ notice if they plan to campaign using social media, or risk fines of up to £20,000. Local authorities may also be given the power to issue anti-social behaviour orders to strikers’ pickets.

Davis, a noted civil libertarian who challenged David Cameron for the leadership of the Conservative Party back in 2005, said he agreed with most of the bill, describing it as “very sensible,” reports The Guardian. However, he sees some measures as “draconian,” specifically citing the requirement for picketers to give their names to police.