[A-List] UK labour militancy & public order

["Michael Keaney" <michael.keaney@xxxxxx>]

Rules drawn up in the winter of discontent
MICHAEL SETTLE
The Herald, 23 October 2002

THE code of conduct Downing Street is keen to refer to was drawn up by the
TUC's ruling general council following the winter of discontent in 1979.

It aims to ensure "the health and safety of the community" are not damaged
by industrial action and says it is "vitally necessary" to continue to
provide emergency services during disputes. The code urges unions
considering strike action to make arrangements with employers to ensure
essential services are maintained.

However, it leaves the final decision on the level of emergency provision
during a dispute to the individual union involved.

The code states: "Generally, unions already recognise the need to provide
emergency or essential services and to maintain plant and equipment during
industrial disputes, and the TUC considers that such action is vitally
necessary.

"It will be a matter for each union or unions to consider the action that is
necessary in the light of the circumstances of the dispute. But the general
council advises that for the duration of an industrial dispute, the union(s)
involved should, where necessary, make arrangements in advance and with due
notice, in consultation and preferably by agreement with the employer, for
the maintenance by their members of supplies and services essential to the
health or safety of the community or otherwise required to avoid causing
exceptional hardship or serious pollution."

The code also calls on union members to ensure that plant and equipment is
maintained and livestock fed and looked after during a strike, so that they
will be fit for use after the return to work.

Downing Street has pointed out in 1988 when the ambulance workers went on
strike, they did, for at least part of their dispute, abide by the code and
provide a 999 blue light service.

Yesterday, the prime minister's spokesman again pointed out the TUC's code
of conduct and stressed the government wanted to know the response of the
fire brigades union to it to help with its contingency plans. He said it was
not a legally-binding code but that it was "perfectly legitimate" for the
government to ask how the FBU viewed it.

Asked what the government thought of the code, the spokesman said: "These
are questions you have to ask the unions. I'm pointing out a code that
exists for unions; interpreting it is not a matter for government but the
unions concerned."

The FBU executive meets today to discuss the issue.