With industrial action across a range of sectors threatening to disrupt crucial public services, the government has worked to repeal trade union laws that restrict employment businesses from providing temporary agency workers to fill vacant positions caused by staff striking.
From today, businesses most affected by industrial action will be able to call upon skilled, temporary staff at short notice to fill essential positions.
Business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng insisted that “In light of militant trade union action threatening to bring vital public services to a standstill, we have moved at speed to repeal these burdensome, 1970s - style restrictions.”
The change in law will apply to England, Scotland and Wales.