More than 150,000 working days were lost to strikes across June and July, according to official figures. The Office for National Statistics said 70,500 working days were lost through industrial action in June and 87,600 in July.
That's compared to a pre-pandemic 2019 monthly average of 19,500 days. The ONS added that most days were lost in the transport and storage industry across the two months.
The report shows that, while disputes have taken place across all areas of the UK, there are variations in the number of days lost across different regions. In June, Yorkshire & the Humber and London were the most affected areas.
Figures show 25,800 working days were lost in Yorkshire & The Humber and 16,700 in London. In July, the North West had the most days lost, with 24,700, followed by London, with 14,200.
A wave of industrial action has affected a number of different industries over recent months as workers struggle to deal with the cost-of-living crisis. Sectors including the railway, postal services, telecommunications, the justice system and local authorities have been affected.
