Unions hand wish list to Government

12 April 2012

Trade unions are to confront ministers with a dossier of 130 demands for policy changes, it is reported.

Free NHS prescriptions, a new public sector pay agreement and scrapping privatised hospital cleaning are all on their wish list, The Guardian newspaper said.

Unions hope to exploit their position as cash-strapped Labour's main source of income when the party's policy-making body meets next week - the day after the Glasgow East by-election.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has warned he will not bow to pressure to restore the right to take supportive strike action, vowing "no return" to 1970s-style industrial relations.

General secretaries are meeting with ministers to set out their agenda, the paper said.

The newspaper said other demands included extending the adult minimum wage to younger workers and apprentices, a week's "educational leave" for workers, tougher health and safety requirements on bosses and train services switched to "not for profit" services.

Tax breaks on union membership fees, access to sick pay for low-paid workers, tighter equal pay laws and more flexible working for parents are also said to be included.

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