Commuters were encouraged today to stay at home ahead of tomorrow’s worst rail closure in 30 years, as hardline unions prepared to strike until Christmas.
Due to the three days of strikes tomorrow, Thursday, and Saturday, millions of people will be forced to work from home or battle their way to work on foot, bike, or in jammed buses.
The strike has been planned such that there will be significant interruption on non-strike days as well, resulting in six days of pandemonium.
Today, it was revealed that teachers, doctors, binmen, barristers, and postmen may join rail workers in wreaking havoc on Britain this summer and into the autumn.
Some British railway firms will operate emergency timetables beginning today morning, while Transport for Wales has advised people to ‘only travel by rail if necessary’ on Monday, with trains from Scotland to London interrupted beginning at 7 p.m. and the Heathrow Express closing at 11 p.m.
The RMT Union claims it now has a’mandate’ for six months of industrial action – perhaps with only a fortnight’s notice each time – after boss Mick Lynch reportedly rejected a 2% salary increase for his 40,000 walkout members.
RMT assistant general secretary John Leach reiterated today that no wage hike had been offered.
Rail executives have also stated that they feel they are in a ‘attrition war’ that will last months, affect millions of passengers, and cost the economy up to £100 million at a time when the UK is facing a cost-of-living problem and a potential recession.
They may offer bonuses to any employees who cross picket lines in order to complete their work.
Boris Johnson is under increasing pressure to implement the rail strike measures he promised in 2019.
The government has failed to keep its platform promise of enacting legislation requiring a minimum train service of roughly 30% during strikes, as is already required in France and Spain.
More than 40,000 RMT rail workers will join tens of thousands of other union members in a six-day strike that would cripple most of the UK’s transportation infrastructure.
The National Education Union has declared that they are ready to ballot staff if they do not like a pay offer from Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi due on Wednesday.
The president of Unison, the country’s largest union that represents much of the NHS, Christina McAnea, said last night that the Government must make a “reasonable wage award… or face a potential dispute.”
The RMT will announce its next strike plans before the end of the week, with industrial action planned to interrupt the start of the summer vacation in late July.
‘We have a mandate for strike action for six months,’ a union insider told the Telegraph. The National Executive Committee will make the final decision. They will only meet this week, after which they must give their employers two weeks’ notice.’
Britain’s unions have pledged to ground the country to a halt in a’summer of discontent’ not seen since the 1926 General Strike, with 155,000 comrades from airports, Royal Mail, and BT joining railway and Tube employees. Over a million council workers and teachers may go on strike this autumn.
Other trade unions are threatening walkouts this summer, which may include teachers, NHS workers, barristers, postmen, and others.
Services have been reduced to 20% of their typical frequency, certain sites have been cut off totally, and passengers have been cautioned not to go unless absolutely necessary, with the national network expected to be paralyzed by walkouts.
Up to 1.5 million workers are being balloted for strike action, a figure not seen since the late 1970s’ Winter of Discontent.
Sir Keir Starmer refused to condemn rail strikes yesterday, which could cause mayhem this week and cost firms hundreds of millions of pounds.
‘Unions’ plot to bring Britain to a halt by waging strikes across swaths of the economy and our public services is terribly selfish,’ Tory party chairman Oliver Dowden said.
‘These unjustified strikes will impose more costs and hardship to hard-pressed families and companies.’
Lord Blunkett, the former Labour home minister, encouraged union leaders to “stop acting like they’re in the 1970s or 1980s.”
Senior rail officials stated last night that agency employees will not be the’silver bullet’ that many are expecting for to help end the disruptive strikes.
According to the Centre for Economics and Business Research, the rail and Tube strikes are expected to cost the economy at least £91 million in staff absenteeism alone (CEBR).
They predicted that 0.8% of employees, or more than 250,000 workers, will be unable to report to work.
They claimed that, while the industry welcomed plans for agency workers to fill labor shortfalls, they would ‘only be effective’ in the ‘less skilled sectors’ of railway businesses.
‘It takes a year to train someone as a signaller,’ a source told The Times. You can’t just put an agency worker in the cab of a train, either; it’s not a silver bullet by any means.’
Yesterday, two teaching unions with a combined membership of about 750,000 became the latest to threaten walkouts unless wages are raised.
In addition, half a million Health Service employees may go on strike over their compensation offer.
Commuters will not be the only ones disrupted this week, as doctors, nurses, civil servants and local government employees, postal workers, traffic wardens, and BT engineers are rumoured to be mulling strike ballots.
Commuters were encouraged today to stay at home ahead of tomorrow’s worst rail closure in 30 years, as hardline unions prepared to strike until Christmas.
Due to the three days of strikes tomorrow, Thursday, and Saturday, millions of people will be forced to work from home or battle their way to work on foot, bike, or in jammed buses. The strike has been planned such that there will be significant interruption on non-strike days as well, resulting in six days of pandemonium.
Today, it was revealed that teachers, doctors, binmen, barristers, and postmen may join rail workers in wreaking havoc on Britain this summer and into the autumn.
Some British railway firms will operate emergency timetables beginning today morning, while Transport for Wales has advised people to ‘only travel by rail if necessary’ on Monday, with trains from Scotland to London interrupted beginning at 7 p.m. and the Heathrow Express closing at 11 p.m.
The RMT Union claims it now has a’mandate’ for six months of industrial action – perhaps with only a fortnight’s notice each time – after boss Mick Lynch reportedly rejected a 2% salary increase for his 40,000 walkout members. RMT assistant general secretary John Leach reiterated today that no wage hike had been offered.
Rail executives have also stated that they feel they are in a ‘attrition war’ that will last months, affect millions of passengers, and cost the economy up to £100 million at a time when the UK is facing a cost-of-living problem and a potential recession. They may offer bonuses to any employees who cross picket lines in order to complete their work.
Boris Johnson is under increasing pressure to implement the rail strike measures he promised in 2019. The government has failed to keep its platform promise of enacting legislation requiring a minimum train service of roughly 30% during strikes, as is already required in France and Spain.
More than 40,000 RMT rail workers will join tens of thousands of other union members in a six-day strike that would cripple most of the UK’s transportation infrastructure.
The National Education Union has declared that they are ready to ballot staff if they do not like a pay offer from Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi due on Wednesday.
The president of Unison, the country’s largest union that represents much of the NHS, Christina McAnea, said last night that the Government must make a “reasonable wage award… or face a potential dispute.”
The RMT will announce its next strike plans before the end of the week, with industrial action planned to interrupt the start of the summer vacation in late July.
‘We have a mandate for strike action for six months,’ a union insider told the Telegraph. The National Executive Committee will make the final decision. They will only meet this week, after which they must give their employers two weeks’ notice.’
Britain’s unions have pledged to ground the country to a halt in a’summer of discontent’ not seen since the 1926 General Strike, with 155,000 comrades from airports, Royal Mail, and BT joining railway and Tube employees.
Over a million council workers and teachers may go on strike this autumn.
RMT union president Mick Lynch warned Wednesday that rail strikes might last into the autumn, saying, ‘There will be many unions balloting across the country, because people can’t take it any longer.’
Labour’s failure to condemn the strikes, according to Tory MP Brendan Clarke-Smith, demonstrated that the party was beholden to the unions.
‘Now they want to send us back to the 1970s and bring our country to a halt,’ he added. Many people recall the Winter of Discontent, which included 25% inflation, sky-high interest rates, IMF bailouts, three-day weeks, and trash on the streets.
‘We must confront this front on and demonstrate that the British people will not be held hostage.’
The NASUWT teaching union announced yesterday that its 300,000 members will be balloted unless the government agreed to a 12% salary increase.
Because of the cost-of-living crises and’real-terms pay cuts,’ said general secretary Patrick Roach, Britain faced a ‘existential catastrophe for the viability of the teaching profession.’
‘The Government incorrectly expected teachers would simply stand by as they degrade pay and cut our education system to the bone,’ he added. If a pay increase is not granted, our members will get it through industrial action in the workplace.’
The National Education Union will also prepare to vote its 460,000 members, which include teachers, professors, and support workers, unless an appropriate salary increase in line with inflation is offered.
‘If there is no meaningful progress on 3% – which will leave an 8% difference with inflation this year alone – we cannot avoid a ballot,’ said joint general secretary Kevin Courtney. Teachers’ attitudes have shifted.
‘Last year, the biggest issue was workload. This year is all about workload and income.’
Unison, the country’s largest union, has hinted that 500,000 members may go on strike if the impending NHS pay offer falls short of the 9.2 percent inflation rate.
Thousands of appointments and operations are likely to be missed as a result of the NHS walkout because patients will be unable to travel to hospitals and surgeries.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director of NHS England, said it was “essential” that people sought appointments and treatment despite the interruption.
‘The Government has a straightforward decision,’ said general secretary Christina McAnea. Either it makes a reasonable wage award, investing in employees and services, and reducing patient delays, or it risks a possible conflict, escalating worker shortages, and increased suffering for the sick.’
The British Medication Association has also stated that it will hold a vote among its members on junior doctor remuneration.
Furthermore, the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association has issued notice to ballot hundreds of workers at Southeastern and Great Western Railway over demands for no compulsory layoffs and a salary increase during the summer holidays.
The Communication Workers Union plans to ballot 115,000 Royal Mail employees in another salary dispute.
Royal Mail announced a 2% salary increase for employees last week, but CWU deputy general secretary Terry Pullinger claimed it was ‘nowhere near adequate.’
The rail strikes will also have an immediate impact on students who are studying GCSEs and A-levels this week and rely on trains to get to school.
Teenagers taking GCSE history or dance, or A-level German, religious studies, or maths, could be targeted on Tuesday. A-level chemistry and GCSE physics students taking exams on Thursday may potentially be affected.
The Public and Commercial Services Union, which has over 180,000 Civil Service employees, will also vote in September on probable strike action in response to its demand for a 10% salary increase.
Barristers are voting today on whether or not to strike over legal aid rates.
Last night, Lord Blunkett cautioned the unions that mass walkouts would be counterproductive. ‘The only way to lose all support and secure Boris Johnson’s re-election is to fall into the elephant trap,’ he said.
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng will introduce legislation as early as this week to allow businesses to hire temporary workers during walkouts, which is currently prohibited.
The walkouts are also expected to pose problems for music and spot aficionados, as Glastonbury Festival, which will bring 200,000 revellers back to Somerset for the first time in three years, will be disrupted.
Many festivalgoers take the train to the nearest station, Castle Cary, before taking a bus to the festival grounds.
While Great Western Railway has stated that it intends to keep certain trains operating between the station and London Paddington throughout the festival, it has also stated that some service times may alter.
National Express reported a “substantial increase in both inquiries and bookings” as many chose to travel with it, and warned of high traffic around the event site.