Wales: Leanne Wood Slams Tory Anti Union Legislation

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

Plaid Cymru Leader Leanne Wood AM has said that the UK Government’s regressive Trade Union Bill must not apply to Wales and she has pledged that Plaid Cymru would do all it can to step any attempt to get legislative consent for the Bill in the Welsh Assembly.

The Plaid leader said:

“The Trade Union Bill is bad for working people across the UK, but in Wales devolution gives us a specific chance to resist the Tory plans and develop a positive alternative. The bill would affect workforce development and industrial relations within health, education and other core public services which are already controlled by Welsh Governments. The UK Government must therefore confirm that it will not apply to Wales. If it fails to do this, my Group in the Assembly will vote to withhold legislative consent. Attempts to push the bill through, against the wishes of a majority of AMs, could potentially cause another unwanted legal battle between the governments.

“In government, my predecessor as Plaid Cymru Leader worked with the trade unions as part of a partnership approach to dealing with the previous financial crisis. After next May’s Welsh Assembly elections, a Plaid Cymru Government would open the door to trade unions who were interested in developing and improving our public services and also improving the skills of our workforce.”

Ms Wood also warned that attempts to push the bill through could create another unwanted legal battle between Welsh and UK Governments and said that a Plaid Cymru Government would work in partnership with trade unions on the development of Welsh public services.

UK Unions opposed to the new Tory legislation have threatened to take the issue to the International Labour Organisations saying it breaches fundamental ILO principles.

BERNARD MOFFATT

Issued by: The Celtic News

07/10/15

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