The Labour-led government in Wales is to introduce legislation aimed at countering what it sees as harmful changes to workers’ rights in the controversial new Trade Union Act, the Guardian understands.
The first minister, Carwyn Jones, is expected to announce plans on Tuesday for a new law aimed at preserving rights for public sector workers that he believes the Westminster government’s law endanger.
The Conservative government’s reforms to trade union law are designed to make it harder for strikes to be held and have been attacked as “draconian” by workers, union officials and opposition politicians.
New rules on the threshold needed to be reached before a strike can be called, on the way subs can be collected and on the time that employees can spend on union activities have been of particular concern to the Welsh government.
In March, Jones called for the law to be scrapped. At that time he said: “This bill is damaging, divisive, intrudes on the delivery of public services in Wales … implementation of the bill will lead to a confrontational relationship between employers and workforce.
“It contrasts sharply with the constructive social partnership approach in Wales – valuing the workforce, supporting public services and encouraging enterprise.”
The Labour government in Wales has always argued that it has a much more positive relationship with workers in the public sector than the UK Tory government or the previous Tory-Lib Dem coalition. During the assembly election campaign in the spring Jones was keen to emphasise that there were no strikes involving young doctors in Wales.
His attitude to the trade union reform has been backed by the nationalist party, Plaid Cymru, which described the reforms as “Dickensian and undemocratic”, and the Lib Dems.
It said the legislation would ensure industrial action only ever goes ahead after a ballot turnout of at least 50%.
In important public services, including in the health, education, transport, border security and fire sectors, an additional threshold of 40% of support to take industrial action from all eligible members had to be met for action to be legal.
It is believed the Welsh government will try to get its new law onto the statute books within 12 months
The UK government argues that employment rights are a matter for the UK parliament, not the Welsh, under the devolution settlement.
A UK government spokesman said: “The Trade Union Act relates to employment rights, duties and industrial relations, all of which are clearly reserved matters for the UK parliament under the Welsh devolution settlement.”
• This article was amended on 28 June 2016 to include a quote from the UK government.
