The Right to Strike

Much of the press at the moment is preoccupied with the strike threatened by British Airways Staff. It came as no surprise to hear the standard comment in such situations. “They should just be grateful they have a job”. I am sure they are. In fact given the current economic conditions I am sure all those people who are working are grateful that they are.

However, that does not mean that employees should therefore allow their employer to treat them how they wish. High unemployment should not equal – allow yourself to be treated like a disposable asset. Indeed, historically had employees simply thought “I should just be grateful I have a job” the vast majority of the working population would be working day in day out in highly dangerous conditions for a pittance.

The right to take strike action is a fundamental right. It is only by collective action that employees can try to prevent employers pushing through changes that not only adversely affect their working conditions; but also, more often than not, the service that they provide to the customer.

Striking employees and the Unions supporting them are all too often seen as the villains of the piece. Contrary to what many press articles would have us believe most union officers (certainly the ones I have met) would rather negotiate than strike. Calling a workforce out to strike is often the last resort.

As the Joint Secretaries of Unite the Union have said:-

“Christmas travel on British Airways is being held hostage by a macho management which prefers imposition and confrontation, or even litigation, to negotiation.”

The threat of strike action becomes necessary if your employer is not willing to listen to you. It also makes sense, in order to try and avoid that strike action, to hit an employer where it hurts. Namely, arrange your collective action to take place at the most inconvenient and/or costly time for them. The aim, ultimately, is to try and change an employer’s deeply entrenched position, not cause massive inconvenience to the population. We should offer support to our fellow workers and remember that one entity could call a swift end to the action – and that is British Airways.
For further information, please contact Jayne Phillips in our Employment Rights department on 0113 2450733.