Ministers will examine plans for military personnel and civil servants to cover for striking workers in the coming weeks during an emergency Cobra meeting today.
Training: Soldiers may be called on to drive ambulances as the Christmas strikes kick off
The Army is being sent because the United Kingdom is expected to be struck by a wave of strikes in the coming weeks, with Royal Mail employees, nurses, paramedics, rail workers, and Border Force agents all staging walkouts over jobs, wages, and working conditions.
Military personnel and government officials are being trained in case they need to be pulled into service at ports and airports, as border agents prepare to go on strike from December 23 to December 31.
As southern England was hampered by snow overnight, hundreds of troops will be deployed to hospitals this week to assist in maintaining vital services during two weeks of dangerous strikes leading up to Christmas.
As the Christmas season arrives, soldiers may be called upon to drive ambulances, necessitating training.
Training: Soldiers may be called on to drive ambulances as the Christmas strikes kick off
Ministers will convene the Government’s emergency Cobra committee today in order to finalize contingency preparations for Thursday’s scheduled strike by nurses.
Next week, military men will begin emergency training at hospital trusts around the nation so they can drive ambulances during a strike by paramedics.
Ministers will attend the Government’s emergency Cobra committee today to finalize contingency measures for a planned strike by nurses on Thursday, as well as further walkouts by train staff and postal workers aimed at paralyzing the nation as Christmas approaches.
Already, troops are being trained to replace Border Force airport officers, who are threatening to ruin families’ holiday travel plans with days of disruption.
Highways employees are also preparing a series of rolling strikes designed to generate traffic congestion.
And the British Medical Association (BMA) warned yesterday that a walkout by junior doctors seeking a 26% wage increase was ‘very likely’.
As Britain faced its worst winter of industrial unrest in decades tonight:
James Cleverly, secretary of state for foreign affairs, warned that ministers might prohibit emergency service workers, including paramedics and firefighters, from striking.
Sir Stephen Powis, the medical director of the NHS, said that the strikes were occurring at the worst possible time, as the health service was facing an early flu outbreak and a fresh Covid wave.
Wes Streeting, the health spokesman for the Labour Party, acknowledged that no government could match the RCN’s high salary demands.
Rishi Sunak, according to government sources, was worried that succumbing to union salary demands would “embed” inflation for years, thereby destroying living conditions.
Ministers ramped up discussions with train executives out of concern that the strikes could impact “vital” freight deliveries in sectors such as electricity.
Meteorologists foretold that commuters attempting to get to work during the train strikes would experience the worst winter weather, with cold temperatures and snow forecasted.
Since Sir Keir Starmer became leader, Labour MPs have claimed they will join picket lines in support of unions who have donated £15 million to the party.
Rail disruptions could cost the hospitality industry £1.5 billion if businesses cancel office parties because employees cannot get home.
Minister of the Cabinet Office Oliver Dowden encouraged militant union leaders to call off the ‘damaging’ strikes Friday night.
He stated, “The unions’ stance will disrupt the lives of millions of industrious people in the coming weeks.”
Mr. Dowden, who will preside over Cobra meetings on strikes today and Wednesday, stated that ministers were attempting to restrict disruption to a’minimal’ level, but admitted that essential services will be affected.
Protesters carrying placards demand equitable compensation for healthcare employees.
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly indicated that ministers might prohibit strike action by emergency sector personnel, including paramedics and firefighters.
He stated that paying wage increases at the rate of inflation for the entire public sector would cost taxpayers £28 billion, or about £1,000 per household.
‘Of course we want to guarantee that workers are paid appropriately, but it’s not fair for union bosses to put people’s livelihoods in jeopardy to advance their salary demands,’ he said. It would not be reasonable to require families to pay an additional £1,000 per year to meet union demands.
Steve Barclay, Secretary of Health, stated that the strikes would pose “serious hazards” to patients.
The Royal College of Nursing, which demanded a 19 percent salary boost, acknowledged Monday that its expectations are unreasonable, with reports indicating that the union would accept rises at or even below the rate of inflation.
Mr. Barclay stated that patients would inevitably suffer. He told The Sun, “In a winter when we are concerned about Covid, influenza, and Strep A in addition to Covid backlogs, I am genuinely concerned about the consequences of strike action to patients.”
Sir Stephen stated that the NHS has “problems brewing this winter,” but that people in need of urgent care would still be seen.
Emma Runswick, vice-chairman of the BMA Council, stated that junior physicians’ salary had decreased by 26% in real terms since 2008. When questioned about the magnitude of the exceptional salary demand, she told Sky News, “It’s only as steep as the money we’ve lost.”
Mr. Cleverly said that the Prime Minister was working on measures to tighten strike legislation, which might include extending the ban on police officers striking to other emergency services.
“The primary responsibility of the government is to safeguard the people,” he told Times Radio
»Today, ministers will conduct a Cobra emergency meeting to discuss the Christmas strike disruption«