I was responding to the question 'what constitutes an essential public service'. In reality, it doesn't matter whether any of us consider the railways to be an 'essential' service or not. If the government wanted to tighten up the legislation then they only have to amend, or redefine, what they view as 'essential'..........there, job done.
It won't be as simple as that. They can't just 'amend' the trade union bill because they feel like it. It may have to be a new bill I'm not sure. Either way it's have to go through the houses and I just don't think it'll be worth the government risking losing a vote on this. They said losing the vote on the Brexit white paper would be seen as a no confidence vote. This would probably risk the same. If labour didn't back it, and anyone in the government or DUP didn't vote it would be risky.
Make no mistake this is a caretaker government. They have no majority without another party and there is no coalition with the DUP, it's a supply and confidence arrangement on a per vote basis. They have a huge task with Brexit alone and they don't have much wiggle room to introduce any controversial bills or legislation as things are currently. They are also fearful of anything which could triggr a general election as they are frightened they will lose, which Mrs May according to the BBC told cabinet may happen if they lost the Brexit vote on the white paper last month.
I assume that most of the readers of this forum are of the view that a Union calling members out on strike (after the necessary ballot) can do so regardless of the severe impact on the travelling public ?
So, if they wished, ASLEF or RMT could, in theory at least, call out members over some perceived general issue at every TOC ? - possibly for many weeks ?
Thing is if the strike didn't cause disruption, there would be no point in there being a strike at all. If all services continued as normal, why would the TOC care about the strike. The idea is to show how valuable the staff involved are to the company and what a good job they do.
Look at the disruption the miners strike caused. Any industry can go on strike if it's a serious enough issue and they are in an organised union.
The difference is the public mostly backed the miners because the media didn't depict them in the way they sometimes depict rail staff, as have their cake and eat it types. Which they are not. They are striking to retain their type of job and to ensure these jobs continue. Which would have been the most basic of needs back in the 70s.