Disrupted December

For many families across the United Kingdom, December is usually a happy and exciting time of year. After two years of muted Christmas celebrations due to Covid-19 restrictions many were looking forward to spending time with loved ones and having a “normal” Christmas.

However, the run up to Christmas and the New Year will be different again in 2022 - not because of Covid-19, but because of the industrial action across the public and private sectors.

With so many strikes being announced it has been difficult to keep track of who is striking and when they are doing it.

So, who is striking, when they are striking and what they are striking for?

The number of individuals voting to take industrial action is growing every day so the list below may change.

(At the time of writing the strikes confirmed are listed below.)

• Railway workers

• Nurses

• Ambulance workers

• Royal Mail

• London buses

• Highway workers

• Eurostar security workers

• UK Border Force

• Civil Servants

Teachers and firefighters are still voting on industrial action. An update will be posted when an outcome is reached.

Railway Workers

The RMT, Unite and the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) are walking out in December due to disagreements over pay, pensions, jobs and conditions. Over 40,000 RMT workers will walk out on the 13th, 14th, 16th and 17th December, causing disruption to Network Rail and 14 other main train operators. Additional dates have been confirmed from 1800 hrs on 24th December through to 0600 hrs on 27th December. Further strikes from the RMT will take place in January.

Unite members will also strike on the 13th, 16th, 17th, 25th and 16th of December, with more dates in January.

Passengers are advised not to travel unless it is essential on the days of strike action. If it is necessary passengers should allow plenty of time for their journey and should expect delays and disruption.

Nurses

Up to 100,000 nurses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will strike in December for the first time in 106 years.

The strikes will be held on the 15th and 20th December for 12 hours between 8am and 8pm on both days. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) are calling for a pay rise of 5% above inflation and are calling for better working conditions due to a shortage of staff across the nation. The RCN has also stated that the most vulnerable patients will be protected and that chemotherapy, dialysis, critical care units, neonatal and paediatric intensive care will be exempt from the strike action.

Ambulance Workers

The GMB, Unison and Unite are striking over pay and staffing levels. Thousands of ambulance workers including paramedics, emergency care assistants and call handlers are walking out on 21st December. The ambulance workers will be joined by Unison nurses, porters, health care assistance, cleaners and other NHS workers. Ambulance workers will then strike again on the 28th December. Unions have said that they will respond to life threatening incidents on the day of the strikes.

Postal Services

Communication Workers Union members will strike on the 14th, 15th, 23rd and 24th December in a dispute over pay and the modernisation plans proposed by Royal Mail. There will not be any deliveries on the days of strike action.

Royal Mail are asking customers to post mail earlier than usual and have stated that they will “prioritise the delivery of covid test and medical kits wherever possible.” Post offices will be open throughout the walkouts, customers are told to expect delays in postage.

Buses

Bus drivers employed by Abellio and Metroline are set to strike on 15th (Abellio only), 16th (Abellio and Metroline) and 17th December (Metroliine only) due to disputes over pay. It is said that mainly routes in West, North and Northwest London will be most affected.

Highway Workers

Members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) who operate and maintain English roads will strike from 16th December to the 7th January.

- 16th and 17th December – Northwest, Northeast and Yorkshire.

- 22nd, 23rd and 24th December – London and the Southeast

- 30th and 31st December – West Midlands and Southwest

- 3rd and 4th January will affect all areas of England

- 6th and 7th January – East Midlands and eastern England.

Air and Eurostar

Up to 1,000 Boarder force workers will strike on 23rd-26th, 28th-31st December over pay, pensions and jobs. Affected airports include Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester, Birmingham and Cardiff.

Eurostar will also be affected by strikes with the RMT and security guards striking on 16th, 18th, 22nd and 23rdDecember.

Other

Thousands of civil servants at the Home Office, Department of Transport and the Department for Work and Pensions will also strike throughout December and January.

Strikes yet to be confirmed

Strikes yet to be confirmed include teachers in England and Wales, firefighters and junior doctors.

(Source for information and photo - Sky News)