‘Protect the Right to Strike’ rally to take place in Peterborough as trade unionists say ‘enough is enough’

A rally hoping to send a message to the Government that people’s right to strike must be “respected and protected” is taking place in Peterborough in February.

The ‘Right to Strike’ Rally has been organised by the Peterborough Trades Union Council (PTUC) and is set to be held at Cathedral Square, on February 1 this year.

The rally will be part of the Trades Union Council’s (TUC) ‘National Day of Action’, and comes as nurses, the ambulance service, and teachers, among others, have all either been on strike or announced upcoming dates for industrial action.

The right to strike is enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and codified in the UK by the Human Rights Act.

However, in January, ministers unveiled plans for controversial new anti-strike laws designed to curb the effectiveness of strike action – posing a threat to future strike action.

PTUC president, Hazel Perry, said: “Peterborough’s trades council was formed in 1899 and much of the new legislation proposed by the current government will set workers’ rights back to the days before PTUC existed.

"The right to strike is a fundamental British liberty and to vote for industrial action is not a decision taken lightly by trade unionists. But when negotiations with employers break down what other choice do workers have?"

The PTUC said the cost of living crisis, caused by a “perfect storm of high inflation and spiralling energy bills”, paired with a “decade of real terms pay cuts and insecure contacts”, has resulted in more trade unionists saying “enough is enough”.

It is inviting trade union members and the general public to join the rally to spread the message that “the cost of living crisis must be fixed and the right to strike should be respected”.

PTUC’s Protect the Right to Strike Rally will take place at lunchtime on February 1, with speakers from the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), the National Education Union (NEU), Communication Workers Union (CWU) and others, starting at 12.30pm.