Token move

Late yesterday (Tuesday November 3) the Department for Business insisted the controls on posting to social media – forcing people to seek police approval before posting to social media – would not be part of the Trade Union Bill.

Below Len McCluskey, Unite general secretary comments on the move by the Tories.

This token move by the government does not redeem what is widely regarded as a needless bill designed to undermine working people and their unions.

An overwhelming consensus spanning employers, the police, former ministers and personnel professionals condemn this bill because it is backwards, divisive and will ruin industrial relations in this country.

Tory members weighing up how to vote at next week’s report stage should not be fooled. This bill destroys Conservative claims to be the party of the working people, and working people will remember the malice behind this legislation for a very long time to come.

Ridiculous

Regrettably we have also yet to hear a sensible response from ministers on the issue of modern, workplace balloting. It is ridiculous that in this day and age, unions and their members are forced to use costly postal services yet the Tory party can conduct their ballots using new technology.  All we are asking for is a level-playing field for Britain’s workers.

The absence of progress on this fundamental issue means that suspicions only deepens that the sole purpose of this bill is to part working people from their rights.

Unite general secretary Len McCluskey responds to the government’s last minute decision to axe plans forcing workers to seek police approval for social media updates before they’re posted.