WEAKENING THE LAST RESORT: THE UK NEWLY PROPOSED MINIMUM SERVICE LEVELS BILL TO WEAKEN THE LEGAL RIGHT TO STRIKE

In early 2023, the government of the United Kingdom suggested new minimum service level legislation, putting the country in line with some other European countries such as France, Spain, Italy, and Ireland. Some countries do have minimum service levels criteria, however the method they do so differs from what is recommended in the United Kingdom in many ways. According to the UK government, the International Labor Organization (ILO) promotes minimum service levels. The ILO acknowledges that minimum service standards may be justified in some circumstances, such as when lives are at stake or when providing "basic" public services. It also states that minimum service levels should be established in conjunction with trade unions. This paper seeks to examine legislation that highlights the right to strike and the impossibility of putting any limits, as this violates all local and international rules. In addition, the study intends to examine the government's point of view and the grounds on which it bases its reliance on the legality of using the minimum work system as a figure for the working days lost during the strike in essential services.