The circle of protests against the high cost of living is widening in Britain after the unions of teachers, nurses and train drivers announced new strikes due to lower wages.
And the “National Education Union” NEU announced that its members voted overwhelmingly for a demonstration starting February 1st demanding higher wages above inflation to counter rising prices and electricity bills, indicating that February 1st would be the day national strike, followed by a series of regional strikes over 6 days in February and March.
He said the strike would affect more than 23,000 schools in England and Wales.
Education Minister Gillian Keegan said the children “did not deserve” the school shutdown, calling the union’s actions “deeply disappointing”.
She noted that students are still trying to recover from the impact of the Covid pandemic on their education, adding: “I am disappointed with the union that decided to go on strike. Our kids don’t deserve this.”
This week, nurses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will resume their strike on Wednesday and Thursday, with their first strike in December 2022.
The Royal College of Nursing announced that “if political inaction continues” it will be followed by more strikes on 6 and 7 February “in the strongest protest against unfair wages and insecure employment to date”.
In this regard, the train drivers of the Aslef Association of Locomotive Drivers and Firefighters announced the cessation of work from February 1 to 3.
The Aslef union said it rejected the latest payment offer from the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), deeming it “completely unacceptable” and said it was ready to engage in further discussions.
Paramedics and EMS workers are due to decide this week on further strikes, adding to pressure on the state National Health Service, which is struggling to recover from the effects of coronavirus lockdowns and a staffing crisis.
Public sector workers have organized a wave of strikes since last summer, demanding higher wages to adjust for inflation.
Source: The Independent + RT