Why the government’s new anti-strike law won’t be in force any time soon

Even Jacob Rees-Mogg thinks it’s a badly written bill, says Sean O’Grady

Teachers are striking this week (PA)

While schools and families face disruption from the teachers' strike, MPs are considering the new laws intended to limit the impact of future industrial action.

What is the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill?

It’s a new piece of legislation that the government says is needed to protect vital public services during strikes. It argues unions in some industries have disproportionate power to inconvenience people and damage the economy through strike action. In the case of health service strikes, it says the legislation will save lives and prevent delays to emergency care. Many see it as a law designed to smash workers’ rights and make strikes ineffective.