Moving into December, Britons are not only ushering in the Christmas season but are also dealing with an unprecedented strike wave this year. Affected by the continued high rate of inflation, the “cost-of-living crisis” is serious. Various sectors such as rail transport, medical care, education and postal services have taken industrial action to demand improvements in wages and working conditions. Among them, the strike of nurses in public hospitals is unionized for the first time in its 106-year history. From transport to medical care, there were almost daily planned industrial action across the UK in December.
The railway workers are still on strike Christmas refuses to work overtime
The National Union of Railway, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), which has taken industrial action several times since June this year, announced late last month that it will work for the British Railway Network Corporation (National Rail) and 14 railways due to failure to reach agreement with employer More than 40,000 railway workers working in commercial enterprises go on strike from 13th to 14th, 16th to 17th of this month, 3rd to 4th and 6th to 7th of next month. work overtime during the Christmas and New Year period on the 2nd.
RMT Secretary General Mick Lynch said the latest round of strikes would reflect the importance of union members to the running of the country and send a clear message that the union wants a good deal on job security, pay and working conditions of workers. Transportation Secretary Mark Harper said he was trying to “encourage” management and unions to reach an agreement on rail reforms and an end to the strike. Railway Secretary Huw Merriman met with Ms Lynch this weekend to continue negotiations on the reform package.
Nurses strike for first time, government says hard to please
On the other hand, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) voted early last month to launch the union’s first industrial action in its 106-year history. Thousands of nurses working for the National Health Service (SSN) went on strike on the 15th and 20th of this month, affecting non-urgent surgery, emergency room clinics, chemotherapy and kidney dialysis services. RCN Secretary General Pat Cullen said nursing staff were fed up with low wages and unsafe staffing levels, and enough that they were unable to give patients the care they deserved.
Health Minister Bai Jianxi (Steve Barclay) pointed out that the nurses’ demands are equivalent to a 19.2% salary increase, which will cost 10 billion pounds (about 96 billion Hong Kong dollars) a year, but this it’s a difficult time for everyone. at the time, the current economic environment meant that the authorities could not afford a solution that met the requirements of the RCN. Bo Jianxi stressed that the NHS plans to minimize any disruption to the public health system caused by the strike and ensure that emergency services continue to operate.
Multi-sector strike army or substitute
Other strike actions include:
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Scottish teachers will go on strike on the 7th or 8th of this month depending on the region, including secondary schools in East Ayrshire (East Ayrshire), East Dunbartonshire (East Dunbartonshire) and the Scottish Borders will all be closed by then;
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Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) go on strike on the 9th, 11th, 14th, 15th, 23rd and 24th of this month and Royal Mail has asked customers to send their Christmas mail early;
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The bus drivers serving Abellio go on strike on the 9th, 10th, 16th and 17th of this month. The affected routes mainly cover West and South London. If Metroline bus drivers reject the management’s latest plan, they will join the rank-and-file strike;
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Commercial and Public Services (PCS) union members will take turns to strike in more than 250 locations across the country from 13 this month to 16 next month, involving driver test services and farm subsidy payments and union actions in other government departments will be announced in the future;
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On the 16th of this month, airport ground staff from Solidarity union (Unite) will launch a 72-hour strike, affecting flights of 10 major airlines from terminals 2 to 4 at Heathrow Airport.
according to”times» obtained estimates from the government that the railway industry alone will lose up to £260m (around £2.5bn) as a result of the strike. Restaurant industry representatives have warned that the strike action will cost the industry £1.5bn (£14bn) in lost sales.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak urges union leaders to suspend “unnecessary” actions and return to the negotiating table as GMB, Solidarity and Unison threaten to coordinate strike days to maximize impact on Christmas Eve. “Financial Times“He revealed that Xin Weicheng has set up a working group to handle and respond to strikes in the public sector and is preparing to use the military to keep emergency services functioning.
Source: Full Report
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