[UK] Upcoming strikes and how they could affect you

Over the past week nurses, postal workers, health staff, bus drivers and rail employees in the UK have all taken strike action, Metro reports.

Today (December 19) driving examiners continue their work stoppage after several consecutive days of action. Some driving tests might be affected so people have been encouraged to check the Government’s website for more information.

The strike action reportedly forms part of national industrial action by the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union over pay, pensions, jobs and redundancy terms.

In addition, more than 1,000 Border Force staff belonging to the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) will be taking part in strike action over eight days of the festive period.

Six airports across the country are affected.

Army personnel and government staff will be called on to check passports at arrivals halls during further walkouts between December 23 and New Year’s Eve. 

The decision has reportedly met with outrage from members of a different union – The Union for Borders, Immigration and Customs (ISU) – which is not taking part in this month’s industrial action.

Lucy Moreton - professional officer at the ISU - said, “Historically, we have been in existence 40 years and only taken strike action three times over that period.

“Generally, our membership is not very militant but they are also massively committed to national security. 

“We all know from previous experience the damage that striking does to national security. In this instance, 3,000 military personnel have been trained to keep the borders open but the training they have been given is less than half of what we would give our temporary contingency workforce.

“They can never replace a fully-trained Border Officer.”

A number of other public service protests are yet to come. Ambulance staff, highway workers and rail employees will all strike over the next week and NHS nurses continue to be at the picket lines after a fortnight of action.

Source: Metro

(Quotes via original reporting)

Over the past week nurses, postal workers, health staff, bus drivers and rail employees in the UK have all taken strike action, Metro reports.

Today (December 19) driving examiners continue their work stoppage after several consecutive days of action. Some driving tests might be affected so people have been encouraged to check the Government’s website for more information.

The strike action reportedly forms part of national industrial action by the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union over pay, pensions, jobs and redundancy terms.

In addition, more than 1,000 Border Force staff belonging to the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) will be taking part in strike action over eight days of the festive period.

Six airports across the country are affected.

Army personnel and government staff will be called on to check passports at arrivals halls during further walkouts between December 23 and New Year’s Eve. 

The decision has reportedly met with outrage from members of a different union – The Union for Borders, Immigration and Customs (ISU) – which is not taking part in this month’s industrial action.

Lucy Moreton - professional officer at the ISU - said, “Historically, we have been in existence 40 years and only taken strike action three times over that period.

“Generally, our membership is not very militant but they are also massively committed to national security. 

“We all know from previous experience the damage that striking does to national security. In this instance, 3,000 military personnel have been trained to keep the borders open but the training they have been given is less than half of what we would give our temporary contingency workforce.

“They can never replace a fully-trained Border Officer.”

A number of other public service protests are yet to come. Ambulance staff, highway workers and rail employees will all strike over the next week and NHS nurses continue to be at the picket lines after a fortnight of action.

Source: Metro

(Quotes via original reporting)