British Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has launched a massive attack on the right to strike. He wants to introduce far-reaching restrictions on the right to strike for workers in public services like health, fire and rescue services and education. Some of the workers can be forced to work and sacked if they don’t!
Strike action is one of the fundamental means available to defend our interests as workers. In the current crisis with price increases for food, heating or electricity, we can only defend ourselves if we are organized and if we collectively fight for our demands, especially with strikes. In Germany, the right to strike is restrictive, because in the prevailing case law strikes are considered illegal if they are a) not called by a union and b) if the damands cannot be represented in a collective agreement.
Furthermore in Germany, too, like in the UK, there have already been attempts by conservatives to restrict the right to strike in certain sectors, such as the railroads. We are committed to a comprehensive right to strike and stand in solidarity with workers in whatever country who are fighting for the right to strike.
On February 1, 2023, teachers, train drivers, university and Civil Service workers in the UK will strike for better working conditions and higher wages. February 1 is also a day of protest against the planned anti-strike laws.
The Right to Strike is a human right, any restriction of this right is an attack on us and our democratic rights. We must resolutely reject this attack by those in power! We stand in solidarity with the workers in the United Kingdom and their fight for the right to strike!
Rally | 1st February 2023 | 4 pm | British Embassy | Wilhelmstraße 70/71 | 10117 Berlin