All The Strikes Happening Before Christmas
Workers in a number of public sectors are due to strike in the lead up to Christmas
4 min read
Staff across multiple sectors are due to strike throughout December, as unions continue to make demands for reform of pay and conditions by employers and the government.
Rail staff, nurses, and postal workers are among those expected to take part in walk-outs in the lead up to Christmas.
Numerous industries have engaged in industrial action in recent months over conditions, but also as soaring inflation and increases in the cost of living put additional squeezes on public sector wages.
Earlier this week, Transport Secretary Mark Harper said that pay rises which match or are higher than inflation would be "unaffordable" for everybody in the public sector, and that “there is just some honesty in being straight with people about the economic context the country faces”.
Here are the strikes expected to happen between December 1 and December 24:
1 December - Royal Mail, bus drivers on Abellio in London
Members of the Communication Workers Union are taking national strike action at Royal Mail, and bus drivers with Abellio in south and west London also begin three days of walkouts.
2 December - Unite workers on East Midlands Railway, bus drivers on Abellio in London
In addition to the continuing bus strike in London, members of Unite the union on East Midlands Railway will begin a two day walkout.
3 December - Unite workers on East Midlands Railway, bus drivers on Abellio in London
4 December - no strikes
5 December - Members of GMB Union at G4S Cash
Members of the GMB Union who work for G4S to carry cash and coins to banks and supermarkets will begin a 48 hour walk out at 3am on 5 December. The strike, they say, is going ahead after G4S Cash offered a four per cent pay increase and bonus based on contracted hours.
6 December - Members of GMB Union at G4S Cash
7 December - Teachers in Scotland
Teachers in the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association and NASUWT unions in Scotland will strike, following previous action in Scotland at the end of November.
(Alamy)
8 December - Teachers in Scotland, bus drivers on Metroline in London
9 December - Royal Mail, bus drivers on Abellio and Metroline in London
Postal workers continue their action, as well as bus drivers in south London, with drivers in the Unite union on metroline buses in north London also striking.
10 December - Bus drivers on Abellio in London
11 December - Royal Mail, RMT Avanti West Coast railway
As well as more action at Royal Mail, RMT members working at Avanti West Coast trains have announced two days of action in mid-December.
12 December - RMT Avanti West Coast railway
13 December - RMT rail staff, Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Rural Payments Agency
A series of 48 hour strikes by the RMT begins on 13 December, with action likely to cause disruption across the country.
The PCS civil servants union will also begin walk-out action on this day, with staff at the Rural Payments Agency who work with farmers and traders due to start a strike.
Workers at the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency such as driving examiners and call centre staff will begin rolling regional walkouts, starting in Scotland and Northern Ireland on this date.
14 December - RMT rail staff, Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Rural Payments Agency
15 December - bus drivers on Metroline in London, nurses, Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Rural Payments Agency
Nurses will walk out for the first of their strike days today, as other action continues.
Royal College of Nursing members at a number of trusts across the country in a dispute over pay.
(Alamy)
16 December - RMT rail, bus drivers on Abellio and Metroline in London, Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Rural Payments Agency
17 December - RMT rail, bus drivers on Abellio in London, Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
18 December - Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
19 December - Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency strikes continue from 19 December, but the action moves to the North West, Yorkshire and Humber and North Wales until Christmas Eve.
20 December - nurses, Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
21 December - Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
22 December - Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
23 December - Unite strike East Midlands Railway, Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
Members of Unite the union at East Midlands Railway are due to continue their strike action on the two days before Christmas
December 24 - Unite strike East Midlands Railway, Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
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