Displaying items by tag: strikes

Whether you're waiting for a hip operation, a new passport, wondering what you're going to do with your children when their teachers are on the picket line, or are a university lecturer worried about losing pay when you protest, walkouts aren't anywhere close to coming to an end. The nurses’ union leader told her members a 5% pay rise and a one-off payment of at least £1,655 was worth accepting. But they disagreed. So strikes continue, with staff being withdrawn from emergency departments for the first time. Junior doctors are set for further industrial action and could end up on strike at the same time as nurses in England. Civil servants are likely to walk out too, having missed out on a one-off payment for 2022/3, which other workers had been granted. Dave Penman, leader of the FDA civil service union, warns the consequence will be a ‘prolonged and damaging dispute’.

Train drivers, teachers, lecturers and civil servants will walk out on the same day and a senior minister urged them to reconsider the industrial action and think about the impact it will have on working people across the country and on the economy saying. We know times are difficult. What we don’t want to see is the economy damaged by self-harm strike action that makes it harder to get to work, cross the border and of course to get access to crucial public services.’ The walkouts take place amid union bosses' anger over anti-strike laws making their way through Parliament that would curb the impact of walkouts by requiring minimum service levels. The RCN said, ‘We have extended an olive branch, actually the whole tree, to government to meet us halfway, so now come on.’ The education secretary will talk to teachers about money but stopped short of promising to review pay. see also

Health secretary Steve Barclay will hold another round of talks with union leaders ahead of planned strikes by nurses. Whitehall said ministers were working on options for resolving the strikes, which could include a one-off payment to reflect cost of living pressures. They recognised that union leaders ‘have to get something for this year’ before they will consider calling off the current wave of industrial action. What level of payment might be offered, and how it could be funded, is not yet clear. There are also concerns that any payment to resolve the health dispute would set a precedent for other sectors facing industrial strife, including education and transport, potentially landing the taxpayer with a bill running into billions of pounds. The moves came as 25,000 ambulance workers staged a second day of walkouts and unions warned they could boycott talks on the next pay round in April.

Healthcare leaders have been quick to call on Mr Sunak to relook at nurses' pay amid nationwide strike ballots. Thérèse Coffey was removed as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and Steve Barclay was reappointed. Responding to the announcement of Rishi Sunak as prime minister, Royal College of Nursing General Secretary and Chief Executive, Pat Cullen, said, ‘Rishi Sunak must now decide if he wants to be the prime minister who cut the NHS and social care to the bone or one that invested in its people, patients and priorities. He is new to Number 10 but nursing staff recall this year’s NHS pay cut was designed by Sunak from his Treasury desk. The NHS Providers chief asked for decisive action to tackle diminishing funding due to soaring inflation, staff shortages and treatment backlogs.

Striking rail maintenance workers are already paid almost a fifth more than those doing comparative roles, the industry regulator has said. Independent consultants looked at total rewards, including pay, pension costs and other measurable benefits, of 64,000 railway workers. The analysis shed fresh light on the bitter industrial dispute which has led to rail strikes across the country. Workers demanding double-digit pay rises already receive salaries 18% higher than ‘market comparators’. Station staff salaries are 12% higher, and train drivers average £66,043 a year (the average UK salary is £31,876). Liz Truss is under growing pressure to follow through on her pledge to crack down on unions, amid fears that the rail network could shut down completely over Christmas. She had promised to bring in ‘tough and decisive action to limit trade unions’ ability to paralyse our economy’.

In 2020 staff at 74 universities held a 14-day strike over pensions, pay, and conditions. Now staff at 68 UK universities will be taking part in a wave of strike action over the next three weeks. Some are striking over pay and conditions, others over pensions: but for most taking action, it is over both. The University and College Union, which represents staff at institutions across the UK, has demanded a £2,500 pay increase for members, an end to ‘pay injustice’ and zero-hours contracts, and action to tackle ‘unmanageable workloads’. The dispute over pensions has been rumbling on for over a decade, but has been reignited by a valuation of a pension scheme used by academic staff - the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS). Those involved in the action include some of the UK's biggest in terms of student numbers - such as the Open University, University College London, and the University of Manchester.

The COP26 climate conference (31 October - 12 November) is expected to draw 25,000 delegates plus 100,000 protesters to Glasgow. Major road closures will last until 15 November, causing disruption. The biggest disturbance will be on 6 November - the Global Day For Climate Justice. A breakdown in union talks means workers will strike from 1-12 November. Pray for pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, and passengers to have composure and patience as they face difficulties when commuting to work. Also 1,500 refuse collection and cleansing staff are striking over a pay dispute. Concerns are also raised regarding COP26’s impact on Covid cases. Many of those attending will not be fully vaccinated, and the magnitude of the event will cause increased cases in an already fragile situation. It could trigger the need for further pandemic restrictions.

A wave of protests has been sweeping across Colombia since 28 April. By 31 May, 59 people had died. Protesters block key roads, causing shortages of fuel and food, and there have been violent clashes between the security forces and demonstrators. The government is holding talks with protest leaders, but with more and more groups joining in the demonstrations a quick resolution seems unlikely. When the protests started the main call was for tax reforms. Four days later the bill was withdrawn. Human rights groups reported that riot police had used tear gas and in some cases shot live ammunition to stop the protests. So rather than abating after the cancellation of the tax reform, the protests intensified. Over 2,300 civilians and members of the security forces have been injured. There have also been marches by thousands of Colombians opposing the roadblocks, causing more violent clashes.

France’s unions have started three months of industrial action. On two days in five trains will not run, and workers will down tools for a total of 36 days. 77% of train drivers are striking over government proposals to reduce the ‘jobs for life and early retirement’ status. Macron insists reforms are essential to stem rising debt and prepare the way for competition starting next year. He is facing his toughest test to date. It is unclear how this ‘war of attrition’ will pan out, as Air France, dustmen, and energy workers intend to join the battle.. If rail reform passes, it paves the way for subsequent overhauls of the education system and pensions. University students have already joined the protests against Macron's proposals. Attempted reforms have been the undoing of past French presidents.