Trade union leaders threaten illegal strike over public sector pay cap

Leaders of three major trade unions have raised the threat of illegal strike action if the public sector pay cap is not lifted for all workers.

Unite boss Len McCluskey said he would be prepared to break the "artificial threshold" requiring industrial action to be approved by a ballot of 50 per cent of members, as public sector unions condemned the Government’s promise to offer wage increases to police and prison officers.

His calls were echoed by Public and Commecial Services (PCS) union chief Mark Serwotka and Tim Roache, GMB General Secretary, who said they would consider defying the rules over strike action.

Trade unions have repeatedly condemned law changes requiring the 50 per cent turnout, which has been seen by some as an ideological attack on the movement.

It comes after around 50 unions backed a motion at the TUC annual conference calling for a campaign of coordinated industrial action unless the cap is fully lifted.

Several unions are already balloting their members for strike action, including PCS, the largest civil servants union, and the Prison Officers Association (POA), which will ask its control room staff to vote on industrial action.

Mr Serwotka told reporters at a TUC fringe event that the strike laws were “unjust”, adding: “My personal opinion would be I would look at what our members say.

“I think anybody who would break the law if they had a 10 per cent turn out that would be daft, because you would be breaking the law with a tiny minority.

“If on the other hand, you had 49 per cent of people voting, voting 99 per cent yes for action, I think you have an overwhelmingly moral and just case to say the law is illegitimate.”

GMB General Secretary Mr Roache said: “We need to make absolutely clear that yes, as public sector unions we are united, yes we will share experiences, yes we will come up with a common agenda.

“And wherever that takes us colleagues, whether it takes us into strike action, whether it takes us into unlawful action, in pursuit of the right of our members to get a decent pay rise right across the public sector, the GMB is proud to stand alongside the FBU, the PCS, and all other unions.”

The comments came in response to a BBC interview where Mr McCluskey said Government would have to “stand the consequences” if it pushed workers outside the law.

Downing Street confirmed plans to scrap the controversial 1 per cent pay cap for police and prison officers on Tuesday but the pledge drew widespread criticism as the promised rise fell below inflation levels.

Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn said unions were right to oppose the below-inflation pay rise but sidestepped questions of whether he would support an illegal strike.

In an interview after he delivered a speech to the TUC conference, he said: "The issue is lifting the public sector pay cap.

"The issue is what the TUC have put forward, which is coordinated action to challenge the pay cap and also recognising inflation has now gone up to 2.9%.

"Many workers have already been hit very badly over the past seven years and are due to be hit even worse.

"The TUC are coordinating that action. The issues of how it's done are a matter for the unions concerned."

A Downing Street spokeswoman said: "We think it is irresponsible for unions to condone breaking the law."