Hundreds of thousands of workers across all sectors of the economy are walking out in the coming weeks in a devastating wave of industrial action.
Nurses, civil servants, postal workers, charity staff, and ambulance workers are among those set to down tools in a bitter winter of discontent.
Spiralling inflation and a cost of living crisis - leaving staff reliant on food banks - has piled misery on millions of Brits who have decided enough is enough.
Rishi Sunak's efforts to steady the ship after Liz Truss's chaos-strewn premiership are faltering as critical services are set to grind to a halt due to pay disputes.
He has admitted to his Cabinet that the months ahead will be "challenging" but his ministers have refused to reopen pay talks and, in some cases, blocked others' attempts to do so.
Here we look at the major strikes looming this winter.
Trains
Rail staff are staging a series of 48-hour walkouts in December and January in the long-running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions, the RMT union announced.
More than 40,000 RMT members across Network Rail and 14 train companies are taking strike action on December 13, 14, 16 and 17 and on January 3, 4, 6 and 7.
There is also an overtime ban across the railways from December 18 until January 2, meaning industrial action will last for four weeks.
RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said: "We have been reasonable, but it is impossible to find a negotiated settlement when the dead hand of government is presiding over these talks."
Transport Secretary Mark Harper has refused to deny he blocked a 10% pay offer - up from 8% on the table - and inserted the union's red line of 'driver-only operation' into the deal.
Nurses
A staggering 300,000 nursing staff are expected to join unprecedented strike action in a bitter row over pay.
For the first time in its 106-year history, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) balloted members over walkouts over the government's 4% pay rise. Health Secretary Steve Barclay was accused of "belligerence" after he refused to reopen pay talks and last-minute negotiations fell through.
The RCN's mandate to strike will run until early May next year - and it says action will be carried out legally and safely.
As many as 100,000 nurses at 76 NHS trusts and services will down tools for planned strikes on December 15 and 20.
The RCN insists the proportion of its 300,000 membership taking part in walk-outs will increase in January if the Government refuses to open pay negotiations.
Midwives in Wales... but NOT England
Members of the Royal College of Midwives in Wales backed strike action, with dates yet to be announced.
But in England they fell short of tough Tory thresholds to strike - by a tiny margin.
Some 88% of those who voted backed strike action. But turnout was only 47%, a whisker under the 50% threshold.
The RCM said: "The fact that we came so close simply makes us more determined to take this fight forward.
"We will be writing to the Secretary of State asking him to meet with us and our members. The midwifery workforce in England has shrunk by 600 since the last election, and poor pay is a key part of the Government's failure to retain midwives, MSWs and other NHS staff."
Junior doctors
Junior doctors may also walk out in a dispute over pay, with tens of thousands set to be balloted in January.
The British Medical Association (BMA) has accused the government of eroding morale with a 2% pay rise, and said it is leading to dangerous staff shortages.
They have called for medics to be awarded a 26% increase and said "all options are on the table".
An estimated 45,000 junior doctors will cast their votes at the start of next year on whether to take industrial action, with Dr Emma Runswick, deputy chair for the BMA Council, saying: 'Years of pay erosion has left the NHS dangerously understaffed, putting the safety of our patients at risk, and yet still this Government refuses to listen.
"Morale is sinking and without restoring pay the Government risks driving this country’s junior doctors from the NHS to better paid jobs at home or abroad."
Paramedics
Thousands of ambulance workers are set for walkouts before Christmas with paramedics at Unison, Unite and GMB voting for strike action.
More than 10,000 workers voted for industrial action from the GMB union alone and with a coordinated walkout on December 21. The GMB members will also strike on December 28.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay has said pay demands were "not affordable" and warned unions that strikes were in "nobody's best interest".
Taxis will be used as makeshift ambulances and troops will drive ambulances but cannot break the speed limit.
Border Force
Around 1,000 passport-checking Border Force staff, employed by the Home Office, are expected to walk out from December 23 to Boxing Day, then December 28 to New Year’s Eve at Heathrow, Gatwick, Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow and Manchester airports.
Hundreds of thousands of passengers travelling over Christmas could be hit. The Home Secretary advised Brits to think carefully about their travel plans.
The military is expected to be drafted in to cover for Border Force workers, who are part of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union.
Baggage handlers employed by Menzies Aviation at Heathrow Airport are due to stage a 72-hour strike from December 17. They are part of the Unite union.
Civil servants
Around 100,000 civil servants across more than 100 Government departments are set to walk out in December after voting for strike action.
The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union balloted more than 150,000 government employees at 214 departments - with 126 passing the threshold for strikes.
The Home Office, the Department for Work and Pensions and the Environment Agency are among the affected government organisations.
Driving examiners and Rural Payments Agency workers were the first to begin striking on December 13.
Universities
More than 70,000 university staff members held their three days of strikes on November 24, 25 and 30 in a row over pay, working conditions and pensions.
Over 150 UK universities have participated in the industrial action, according to University College Union (UCU).
UCU general secretary Jo Grady said that campuses would experience strike action on a scale "never seen before", adding: "This is not a dispute about affordability - it is about choices.
"Vice-chancellors are choosing to pay themselves hundreds of thousands of pounds whilst forcing our members onto low paid and insecure contracts that leave some using foodbanks."
Royal Mail
This dispute has been going on for months between Royal Mail bosses and the posties' union over pay, terms and conditions.
Royal Mail workers are poised to walk out on some of the busiest days in the build up to Christmas.
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) said 115,000 workers are walking out, with images showing post piling up at mail centres and the last Christmas posting date brought forward.
There have already been several days of strike action, with further walkouts on December 9, 11, 14, 15, 23 and 24.
Firefighters
Thousands of firefighters are poised to walk out after their union members rejected a 5% pay rise - which is a real-terms cut.
The Fire Brigades Union will run a ballot on strike action from December 5 to January 23. If it passes, dates for strikes will be announced after that.
General Secretary Matt Wrack said: “We have firefighters using foodbanks. Our members worked through the pandemic to help protect their communities, taking on extra duties to do so. A further real-terms pay cut is an absolutely disgusting way to thank them.”
G4S
G4S workers who handle cash deliveries for Asda, Aldi and other big names are embarking on what the GMB union says is their first ever strike.
A ballot of 1,200 staff at the security firm returned a 97% vote for industrial action, the union said, with a strike happening on December 4.
The GMB said this would spark “genuine fears of cash shortages over Christmas”. The workers also deliver cash for Barclays, HSBC, Tesco, Wetherspoons and Santander.
Eamon O’Hearn, GMB National Officer, said: “There are low paid workers doing a dangerous job, transferring the cash so many of us still rely on every day.
“All they are asking for is a wage they can live on, that they can feed their families on, that they can treat their children this Christmas on.
“G4S Cash staff provide an absolutely vital service. If they walk out, we can genuine cash shortages over the festive period.”
Environment Agency
Environment Agency staff have voted overwhelmingly to strike over pay for the first time in the organisation’s 26-year history.
Trade union Unison balloted 2,800 staff, and of those who responded, 73% voted to strike and 92% for action short of a strike.
Earlier in the year staff, who also work on the Thames Barrier, maintain coastal defences, and manage the risk of flooding from rivers, reservoirs and the sea, rejected what they see as an insulting 2% pay offer plus a £345 one-off payment.
UNISON head of environment Donna Rowe-Merriman said: “Inflation is now even higher than when the ballot opened. In the face of a derisory wage offer that’s way below the cost of living, it’s not hard to see why so many have voted to strike.
“Environment Agency workers take great pride in the support they give to communities and businesses across England. But they’ve been taken for granted for long enough and feel it’s now time to take a stand."
Staff began to "work to rule" on December 12 for an indefinite period. This means they only work their contracted hours, taking all their breaks and rest in full between shifts.
Shelter
More than 500 workers at housing charity Shelter have been walking out for two weeks in a dispute over pay.
Staff will take part in industrial action between December 5 and December 18 after they were offered a 3% pay rise.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Shelter’s workers are absolutely dedicated to the organisation but they have been forced to take strike action as management refused to listen and understand their financial plight. Rather than sit on ever expanding reserves, Shelter should be paying its workers a fair pay rise.
“Unite does what it says on the trade union tin and always prioritises the jobs, pay and conditions of its members, the workers at Shelter will receive the union’s unstinting support.”
BT/Openreach
Since July, more than 25,000 Openreach and call centre staff have taken part in eight days of strike actions in a dispute about pay.
The Communications Workers Union has not ruled out further walkouts, but says the company is taking part in negotiations.
Harrods
More than 50 security guards and CCTV operators at department store Harrods are set to walk out for 12 days in the build up to Christmas, Unite announced.
They are incensed by a 7% pay offer, prompting the decision to strike on 25, 26 and 27 November and 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 23, 24 and 26 December.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Harrods and its owners, the Qatar Investment Authority, can absolutely afford to pay these workers a rise that reflects soaring living costs.
"Harrods, like many Qatari state enterprises, is known the world over for luxury and extravagance, an impression maintained off the backs of workers. Our members at Harrods have Unite’s full support as they fight for a fair pay rise.”
