Ed Balls: Osborne 'wants unions to strike'
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Shadow chancellor Ed Balls has claimed George Osborne is actively seeking a confrontation with the unions like former Tory prime minister Baroness Thatcher.
He urged trade unions not to fall into the "trap" set for them by a Government eager for a confrontation to divert attention from the economy.
He claimed there was "something of the Margaret Thatcher" about the Chancellor, and warned that the Government was adopting a 1980s-style approach to industrial relations.
With the threat of a mass walkout in November over planned changes to public sector pensions, Mr Balls said: "If George Osborne really wants to sort this out, he should get round the table and have serious discussions with the trade unions.
"I fear that what he really wants is strikes in the autumn to divert attention away from an economic plan which isn't working.
"Strikes are always a last resort, I hope they won't happen, but it's unfair what the Government is doing.
"I said at the very beginning, back in spring, I thought that was a trap being set.
"We lost seven-times more days in strikes in the 1980s than in the last 10 years. Why? Because back then in the 1980s it was confrontational. Unions against management, unions against government, strikes here and there.
"Most people would say that's a really bad way to run our economy.
"But there's something of the Margaret Thatcher sometimes in George Osborne: raising VAT, 'I'll go on and on and on, I'll take the unions on'."
Mr Balls added: "I think that's very 1980s. We are in a different place now, the world's moved on, we should be working together to sort out problems.
"I think the George Osborne confrontation should be matched by the trade unions, as they are, saying 'We want to talk and get this sorted out'. I hope that can work."
PA
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments