Councils condemn trade union bill

Employers delivering public services across the country join unions in condemning ‘unnecessary and petty’ legislation

Employers delivering public services across the country are joining unions in condemning the government’s Trade Union Bill.

Caerphilly council in Wales is in line to become just the latest council to register its opposition to the bill when it debates a motion today (29 September) calling on the government to abandon the bill.

It calls the plans a socially divisive attack on democracy, which will lead to more confrontation in the workplace.

In the last week, Gateshead and Sunderland councils in the north east of England have also condemned the bill, while Renfrewshire council in Scotland declared it will not “use agency staff to break or weaken industrial action” and will “defend and support” check-off and facility time for union reps.

In Yorkshire, Wakefield council has called on the government to rethink its “unnecessary attack on workers’ rights and civil liberties”, and Leeds council leader Judith Blake promised to work with unions to campaign against the bill, adding that plans to prevent public-sector employers deducting union subs from wages would be “unnecessary and petty”.

Sign up to UNISON’s campaign on the Trade Union Bill