Christmas holidays SAVED as Rishi Sunak rams through new laws to ease strike disruption over festive period
CHRISTMAS holidays have been SAVED as Rishi Sunak today pledged bumper anti-strike laws will ease festive disruption.
Airport border staff and rail workers will be forced to ensure a minimum level of service during any industrial action.
It will mean the nation’s transport system will not be paralysed yet again throughout the crucial holiday season.
The PM said today: “We are doing everything in our power to stop unions de-railing Christmas for millions of people.
“This legislation will ensure more people will be able to travel to see their friends and family and get the emergency care they need.
“We cannot go on relying on short term fixes - including calling on our Armed Forces or civil servants - to mitigate the disruption caused by strike action.”
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Last year RMT leader Mick Lynch was dubbed “The Lynch Who Stole Christmas” for crippling the train lines.
Legislation requiring unions to ensure minimum service levels will be laid tomorrow before being rammed through Parliament in time.
Rail operators will have to lay on at least 40 per cent of their normal timetable is operating as normal, preventing a standstill.
Border security services will have to be "no less effective" than they were if strikes were not happening.
The crackdown will also apply to ambulance workers, guaranteeing emergency care is not compromised.
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Mr Sunak insisted the Minimum Service Levels Legislation - which has already been announced - echoes other European nations.
He said: "We're taking the right long-term decision to bring in minimum service levels, in line with other countries, to keep people safe and continue delivering the vital public services that hard-working people rely on.”
But RMT duffer Mr Lynch last night hit back at the plans and accused Mr Sunak of "inflaming" the row.
He said: "We believe employers have the discretion not to issue minimum service work notices and as such we are calling on them not to issue them.
"Any employer that seeks to issue a work notice will find themselves in a further dispute with my union."
Unite chief Sharon Graham piled in: "Rather than fix its own mess the Government is trying to shut down the voices that are highlighting its failures."
Anti-strike laws were a Tory manifesto pledge, meaning the government can drive them past obstructive peers at speed.
