Editorial - April/May 2023

Welcome to the April/May edition of Global Insight. The cover of this edition depicts the industrial action that’s been the somewhat inevitable consequence – in the UK at least – of a more than decade-long squeeze on funding for public sector workers (otherwise known as austerity measures) implemented following the financial crisis of 2008. This has coincided with a heady mix of factors, including high inflation and employment reforms.

As we went to press, the UK was experiencing the grim realities of professionals – from teachers to ambulance staff and doctors – resorting to the desperate measure of withdrawing their labour. This has seen the largest National Health Service strike in history and the biggest walkout by ambulance staff in three decades. Something has gone badly wrong and it’s by no means exclusive to the UK: Australia, Canada and the US are just three of the other major economies experiencing the crippling effects of workers withdrawing their labour in response to issues such as poor working conditions and inadequate remuneration.

Our feature, ‘Industrial action in a time of global crisis’, explores the scale and impact of what’s happening, and the rule of law dimensions. A somewhat pernicious and regrettable response to moves by those seeking adequate levels of pay and reasonable working conditions have been efforts to restrict the right to strike. In January, the UK government introduced proposals to impose ‘minimum service levels’ in the event of industrial action.

The proposals would see ministers bringing in legislation giving themselves sweeping powers to restrict strike action across health, education, transport and other sectors. The bill also seeks to remove protections against unfair dismissal that apply to employees taking part in strikes – it’s difficult to see how such measures fairly and effectively balance the rights of the wider public against the rights of employees. These aren’t simply changes to employment law. The authoritarian nature of the approach raises a whole host of serious concerns, not least from a human rights perspective.