Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, says a Conservative government will ban strikes on the London Underground rather than negotiating with trade unions.
ASLEF general secretary Keith Norman condemned the move as an attack on basic civil liberties. He said: “A ban on the right to strike is a feature of the most extreme authoritarian regimes. It gives a dire warning of what we can expect if the Conservatives are elected.”
Before he became Mayor, Mr Johnson said he wanted to come to an agreement with rail unions by which they would agree, in principle, not to go on strike in exchange for independent arbitration in disputes about pay and conditions.
Now he has told the London Assembly he wants legislation, rather than negotiation, to achieve his aims. He said there was “every prospect” he would be able to “develop something” if the Tories are elected in May.
He said: “The single biggest obstacle to a no-strike agreement is that we do not have the right government in Westminster.”
