THE BRITISH government is preparing to combat a wave of strikes in the summer when billions worth of spending cuts begin to be felt. The measures include using specially hired workers to keep public services operating.
The prospect of strikes has increased markedly following a decision by local authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland not to award a £250 pay increase for their lowest-paid workers – despite orders by the chancellor of the exchequer to do so.
Top cabinet office civil servants have investigated the options on coping with strikes in key public services, partly by examining the ways in which chief executive of British Airways Willie Walsh brought in outside staff to fend off a cabin crew strike last year.
Ministers were ordered to draw up contingency plans for national strikes under the direction of cabinet office minister Francis Maude, shortly after they took up office last May. However, it is understood that the pace of work has accelerated in recent months.
“We’ve been war-gaming this, looking at all the scenarios and working out where we are most vulnerable. We are looking at who we are likely to enrage and when we are likely to be doing it. We need to be ready for everything,” said one official.
Legislation to restrict the rights of trade unions has also been considered – particularly a measure that would require a strike vote to be supported by a majority of union members, and not just those who vote in a ballot, but this is being kept in reserve, for now.
Responding, general secretary of the Trades Union Congress Brendan Barber, said: “Public sector workers will be aghast to hear that the cabinet office is spending time, effort and resources working out how to frustrate possible industrial action, rather than focusing on how to avoid it in the first place.”
The pressure for strikes is likely to increase sharply in the wake of congress’s Hyde Park demonstration on March 26th, which could attract up to one million people.
Ministers believe that the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), which represents London Underground workers, and the Public and Commercial Services Union, which represents low-paid public sector workers, will organise major strikes.
RMT leader Bob Crow said: “If Francis Maude thinks playing a glorified game of battleships is going to stave off public anger about cuts to jobs and public services while the bankers are scooping a £6 billion bonus jackpot, then he needs a Class A reality check.”
Nonetheless, the threat of strikes could extend far beyond London Underground if talks on government demands for public service workers to pay more for their pensions run into difficulties in coming months, ministers fear.
A final report on the issue is due in March from former Labour minister Lord John Hutton, but some unions could legally call for strike ballots among their members if ministers insist on pushing ahead with contribution increases.
Meanwhile, official statistics yesterday indicated that borrowing in the year ahead could be lower than predicted after the treasury took £3.7 billion more in tax than it borrowed in January.