Defending Trade Union Rights
PCS has a history of defending trade union rights, including the right to join a trade union.
Protecting the right to strike
The previous Tory government rushed through laws which would effectively criminalise strike action for thousands of our Home Office members, including border security staff and an unknown number of workers in the Passport Office.
The Strike (Minimum Service Levels) Act would limit the impact of a strike by forcing workers to maintain a level of service through the use of minimum service levels (MSLs). Workers in certain sectors, including health, education, transport and border security, could be forced to attend work – and sacked if they do not comply.
Judicial review
In January, PCS's then general secretary Mark Serwotka announced that PCS would use the Human Rights Act to challenge the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 on the grounds that the proposed strike restrictions contravene the right to strike enshrined in Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Repeal of the law
The Labour government announced on 6 August 2024 that the Strikes Act 2023 will be repealed through the Employment Rights Bill, which will be introduced within the first 100 days of the new government to "strengthen the rights of working people."
History of defending trade union rights
Follow our timeline to learn about the GCHQ trade union ban, which is relevant to our own resistance today to continuous attacks on trade union rights.