Trade union row

THE Conservatives provoked a major row with the trade unions over sweeping plans to ban them from taking strike action without the support of at least 40 per cent of their members. Patrick McLoughlin announced the proposed crackdown on industrial action, which will be included in the Tory election manifesto, in order to stop union bosses holding Britain to ransom. He said that of the 102 strike ballots held since 2010, nearly two thirds failed to attract even half of the workforce. In some cases, strikes have gone ahead with the support of as few as one in 10 workers. The Tory party got elected on 36.9 per cent of the vote and on average Tory MPs got elected on less than 40 per cent of the vote. So, why should unions have to have 40 per cent? Democracy should be allowed to those willing to take the trouble to go out and vote.