KEY workers bashed the Tory anti-strikes law for “creating more problems than it solves” and vowed to resist it on Saturday.

They spoke at a “once in a generation” special TUC congress in London against  the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act —  the first to take place since Thatcher introduced anti-union legislation in 1982.

Unison ambulance convener Sam Colin Berry called minimum service levels “totally unnecessary,” stating that his colleagues went to “great lengths” to ensure ambulances reached those in need during strikes.

“I wish there was minimum service levels in the NHS on non-strike days,” he said.

“I wish the government provided enough employees, sufficient funding, improved recruitment and retention of staff.”

He argued that pay deals secured from industrial action helps with staff retention, meanwhile anti-strikes legislation “creates more problems than [it] solves.”

Paramedic Simon Day from GMB agreed that it was impractical, arguing that “national, top-down parameters” imposed by the Act will not always apply to each branch, so it suits employers to deal with them individually.

Firefighter Izzy Goodwin said the legislation amounts to a ban on strikes altogether, as the government considers setting a 90 per cent minimum service level in the fire service.

The FBU representative underlined that such action is necessary as the service faces damaging cuts that put public safety at risk. 

Aslef train driver Dawn Stewart highlighted that companies know that the Act is “unworkable” as it is not possible to put together a timetable with seven days’ notice as the legislation stipulates. 

Diana Ohene-Darko, an assistant head teacher from NAHT, highlighted the irony that teachers are meant to educate children about democracy “yet this government are taking away exactly that.”