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Anti-strike bill akin to modern slavery, legal experts tell MPs

Only Hungary – condemned for violations of democracy – has put the same restrictions on workers, lawyers say

Anti-strike bill akin to modern slavery, legal experts tell MPs
Support for strikers in Manchester, January 2023
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The government’s plans to give employers powers to force striking workers back to work is akin to modern slavery, legal experts told MPs.

Last month, business secretary Grant Shapps unveiled plans that would require unions to maintain “minimum service levels” in fire and rescue, transport, health and education sectors during strikes.

The bill proposes to allow employers to issue so-called work notices to a proportion of striking workers that require them to return to work. Workers that do not comply with the notices would lose their protections from unfair dismissal.