Burnley has become the latest council to criticise the government’s “unfair, unnecessary and undemocratic” Trade Union Bill, warning that it will put Britain “beyond the normal expectations of international law and standards”.
A motion adopted by the council yesterday added that the Conservative government’s plans “will involve considerable bureaucracy and red tape, largely to be funded by ordinary workers from their subscriptions”.
Warning that the bill will “undermine constructive employment relations and civil liberties” and “have a serious effect on the authority’s relationship with its workforce”, Burnley has asked its chief executive to write to the government expressing its “dismay at these proposals”.
It will also ask the Local Government Association to “protest against the Bill and support any legal action seeking to challenge the TU bill in the European Court of Human Rights”.
Burnley UNISON has welcomed the move.
“We particularly welcome its recognition that trade unions play a vital role in industrial relations,” says branch secretary Petyer Thorne.
“Whilst inevitably we have our disagreements with the council from time to time, we have always had pretty good industrial relations which have enabled us to work together to resolve any issues between us.
“The council has recognised that, if enacted, this Bll will undermine industrial relations and is an attack on the civil liberties of our members.”
