Boris Johnson calls for tougher strike laws

London mayor Boris Johnson has joined forces with the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) to call for legislation relating strikes to be toughened, following concerns over unions' response to government spending cuts.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph ahead of his speech at the ongoing Conservative conference in Birmingham, Mr Johnson called on prime minister David Cameron to introduce a new law preventing strikes which receive less than 50 per cent support.

"We cannot reward the bad behaviour of militants whose objectives are plainly nothing to do with the terms and conditions of their members," he explained. "It is high time the coalition looked at the law again."

Mr Johnson's comments came as thousands of London Underground workers staged a 24-hour walkout over plans to cut jobs, with the RMT union claiming the plans will jeopardise passenger safety.

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The mayor accused public sector bodies of plotting an "apocalyptic vision" of politically-motivated industrial unrest over the coming years.

Posted by Hayley Edwards