The general-secretary of the UK's rail, maritime and transport union (RMT), Mick Lynch, has said he will call for a general strike if the government approves a plan to curb union power proposed by foreign secretary and frontrunner in the race to become the UK's prime minister, Liz Truss.
"There is a whole host of measures that she is looking to bring in that will make it virtually impossible to have effective trade unionism and we think would effectively outlaw collective action. I think that’s a turn to the extreme right on behalf of the Conservatives, and they’re playing to their reactionary base. I think there will be an enormous response from the trade union movement," Lynch told the i newspaper.
Earlier, Truss, who is at present considered favorite in the race to become PM against former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, promised to amend legislation to guarantee minimum service levels on "vital national infrastructure" and raise the threshold for voting in favor of strike action from 40 percent to 50 percent.
“We need tough and decisive action to limit trade unions’ ability to paralyze our economy... I will do everything in my power to make sure that militant action from trade unions can no longer cripple the vital services that hard-working people rely on," Truss' statement released by her campaign team reads.
A general strike is when a large proportion of workers in different sectors suspend their work until their demands are met by authorities. In Britain, it can only be called by the Trades Union Congress.
In late June, the UK faced the biggest rail strike in 40 years, when thousands of people walked out to demand better working conditions. The nationwide strike caused massive disruption to rail services.