More industrial action is due to cause disruption across the UK in February. Train drivers, teachers and nurses are among those who will go on strike this month.
On the first day of the month alone, half-a-million workers are due to walk out in bitter disputes over pay, jobs and conditions. Teachers, train drivers, civil servants, university lecturers, bus drivers and security guards from seven trade unions will all walk out on Wednesday (February 1) in what will be the biggest day of industrial action in over a decade.
Protests will be held across the country on the same day against the Government’s controversial plans for a new law on minimum service levels during strikes. Unions have dubbed it the “anti-strike bill”, saying it could lead to workers who vote legally to strike, being sacked.
Meanwhile members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in England are due to walk out again on February 6 and 7. And a ballot for strikes by firefighters and control room staff in a row over pay closes on Monday.
Here are the strikes due to take place across the UK in February 2023. Dates were correct as of Sunday, January 29.
Wednesday, February 1
- Teachers who are of the National Education Union will strike. The industrial action is expected to impact 23,400 schools across England and Wales.
- Teacher members of the National Education Union in sixth form colleges in England, who have already been balloted and taken strike action in recent months, will also take action in a separate but linked dispute
Members of the EIS union in Clackmannanshire and Aberdeen, Scotland will take action as part of a dispute over pay.
Train drivers from RMT and Aslef to strike. Train driver members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union at 14 train operators will walk out on February 1 and 3. The 14 train operators are: Chiltern Railways, Cross Country Trains, Greater Anglia, LNER, East Midlands Railway, c2c, Great Western Railway, Northern Trains, South Eastern, South Western Railway, Transpennine Express, Avanti West Coast, West Midlands Trains and GTR (including Gatwick Express).The drivers’ union Aslef said thousands of its members will strike on the same days.
The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union said its members in 124 government departments and other bodies will walk out. The union said it will be the largest civil service strike for years and signals a “significant escalation” of industrial action after a month of strikes by its members, including Border Force staff.
More than 70,000 staff at 150 universities are due to take part in strike action by the University and College Union (UCU).
- Bus drivers in London are due to strike after the rejection of pay offers. Around 1,900 members of Unite employed by Abellio in London will walk out
Thursday, February 2
- London bus driver strike continues
EIS members in Dundee and Argyll and Bute, Scotland will take action as part of a dispute over pay.
Friday, February 3
Train drivers in England will walk out again
- London bus driver strike continues
Scottish teachers strike action. Members of the EIS union in South Lanarkshire and the Western Isles will take action as part of a dispute over pay
Monday, February 6
- Nurses in England who are members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) are due to strike again following two days of strike action in January. During strike days, emergency care will continue to be provided but some pre-booked treatments could be disrupted.
GMB and Unite ambulance workers will strike in their dispute over pay and staffing. GMB members from South West Ambulance Service; South East Coast Ambulance Service; North West Ambulance Service; South Central Ambulance Service; North East Ambulance Service; East Midlands Ambulance Service; Welsh Ambulance Service and Yorkshire Ambulance Service will take part in the strikes. Unite members employed by different ambulance trusts will be striking in the West Midlands; East Midlands, the North East; the North West and Wales. GMB said more than 10,000 of its members, including paramedics, emergency care assistants, call handlers and other staff, will walk out.
Scottish teachers strike action. EIS members in Inverclyde and Shetland will take action as part of a dispute over pay.
Tuesday, February 7
Nurses in England will continue their strike as part of a pay dispute
Midwives in Wales are set to strike. The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) said that its members in Wales – including midwives and maternity support workers – are to walk out from 8am to 4pm on February 7 in a row over pay. Midwives will provide “bank holiday cover” to ensure women in labour or those in need of emergency care still get the support they need. They will also be taking industrial action short of a strike by claiming payment for any overtime worked in the week following strike action.
Thursday, February 9
- NHS physiotherapist staff across England will strike in a dispute over pay and staffing, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy said. Further dates will be announced if no improved offer is forthcoming from the government, said the CSP. The planned industrial action follows the CSP achieving mandates to strike in 119 NHS employers, covering 13,500 physiotherapy staff, across England through ballots held at the end of last year and this month.
University staff to strike. More than 70,000 staff at 150 universities are due to take strike action by the University and College Union (UCU).
Friday, February 10
University staff to strike. More than 70,000 staff at 150 universities are due to take strike action by the University and College Union (UCU).
Tuesday, February 14
- Teachers in Wales set to strike. Members of the National Education Union (NEU) in Wales are due to stage walkouts.
- University staff to strike. More than 70,000 staff at 150 universities are due to take strike action by the University and College Union (UCU).
Wednesday, February 15
University staff to strike. More than 70,000 staff at 150 universities are due to take strike action by the University and College Union (UCU).
Thursday, February 16
- Unite ambulance staff will strike in Northern Ireland.
- University staff to strike. More than 70,000 staff at 150 universities are due to take strike action by the University and College Union (UCU).
Friday, February 17
- Ambulance workers in the West Midlands and Northern Ireland
Monday, February 20
- GMB and Unite ambulance workers will strike in their dispute over pay and staffing. GMB said more than 10,000 of its members, including paramedics, emergency care assistants, call handlers and other staff, will walk out. GMB members from South West Ambulance Service; South East Coast Ambulance Service; North West Ambulance Service; South Central Ambulance Service; North East Ambulance Service; East Midlands Ambulance Service; Welsh Ambulance Service and Yorkshire Ambulance Service will take part in the strikes. While Unite members employed by different ambulance trusts will be striking in the North East; the East Midlands and Wales.
Tuesday, February 21
- University staff to strike. More than 70,000 staff at 150 universities are due to take strike action by the University and College Union (UCU).
Wednesday, February 22
- Unite ambulance workers in the North West to stage strike action.
- University staff to strike. More than 70,000 staff at 150 universities are due to take strike action by the University and College Union (UCU).
Thursday, February 23
- Unite ambulance staff will strike in Northern Ireland.
- University staff to strike. More than 70,000 staff at 150 universities are due to take strike action by the University and College Union (UCU).
Friday, February 24
Unite ambulance staff will strike in Northern Ireland
Monday, February 27
University staff to strike. More than 70,000 staff at 150 universities are due to take strike action by the University and College Union (UCU).
Tuesday, February 28
- Regional teachers' strike in the North West and North East of England/Yorkshire and Humber (regional strike in the West Midlands, East Midlands and East planned for March 1 and the South West, South East and London on March 2
University staff to strike. More than 70,000 staff at 150 universities are due to take strike action by the University and College Union (UCU).
