Thatcher Govt plans anti-strike law

Press, 26 February 1983, Page 8

Thatcher Govt plans anti-strike law

NZPA London . The British Prime Minister, Mrs Margaret Thatcher, said yesterday that her Conservative Party Government was considering introducing legislation to stop strikes by workers in essential services. Mrs Thatcher told the House of Commons’ that the

Government was looking at the need for such a ban in the light of the month-long strike by manual workers in Britain's State-run water industry. The strike ended on Thursday. “We are looking at the consequences of this for future legislation and the consequences for the need for a statutory duty to con-

tinue to supply essential services," she said during a heated exchange with members of the Opposition Labour Party. As the 29,000 water industry strikers returned to work after a pay settlement worth at least 10 per cent leaders of 40,000 workers in the gas industry resumed talks on improving a 4.5 per cent pay

offer. The'water workers' settlement breached the Government's 4.5 per cent guideline for public service pay rises. The gas workers who average £154 ($330) a week, are demanding a 13 per cent pay rise and a cut in working hours. Britain's National Water Council said yesterday that

although the strike was over. 8.2 million people still needed to boil their drinking water because it could be several weeks before it was properly purified again. By the end of the strike more than 90,000 homes in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland were without running water. Scotland was not affected.