The New Year has become with a new “winter of discontent” for Britain as the country’s unions, representing workers from a wide range of public-facing professions, conclude they have no choice but to undertake industrial action as their calls for improved pay and working conditions go unanswered while rising prices erode their wages.
Rishi Sunak’s government has so far preferred to present a tough front in negotiations, insisting the money is not available to grant the salary increases demanded given the country’s economic plight.
But the strikers, from train drivers and railway workers to nurses, emergency services staff teachers and civil servants, continue to enjoy the support of a majority of the public, according to polling.
The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union organised strike days throughout December and into January and February, as 40,000 workers down tools at one of the busiest periods of the year in a bid to force improved terms.
“Despite every effort made by our negotiators, it is clear that the government is directly interfering with our attempts to reach a settlement,” it has said of its walkouts.
“The union suspended previous strike action in good faith to allow for intensive negotiations to resolve the dispute.
“Yet Network Rail have failed to make an improved offer on jobs, pay and conditions for our members during the last two weeks of talks.”
Network Rail’s chief negotiator Tim Shoveller responded to that by saying: “No one can deny the precarious financial hole in which the railway finds itself. Striking makes that hole bigger and the task of finding a resolution ever more difficult.
“We will not give up and hope that the RMT will return to the table with a more realistic appreciation of the situation.”
Royal College of Nursing (RCN) members and ambulance staff represented by the GMB, Unite and Unison unions have likewise been on strike over pay and conditions within the NHS.
“Nursing staff have had enough of being taken for granted, enough of low pay and unsafe staffing levels, enough of not being able to give our patients the care they deserve,” RCN general secretary Pat Cullen has said.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Everyone from London bus drivers, Eurostar security personnel, Border Force agents, Heathrow baggage handlers, university administrators, Scottish teachers, Welsh physiotherapists, driving examiners in northern England and Scotland and National Highway Workers around the UK have announced strike dates over the last three months, all of which has added up to huge disruption for the public and service complications for businesses everywhere.
Here is a timeline of all of the strike dates announced so far for 2023.
Wednesday 1 February
Members of the PCS representing approximately 100,000 civil servants staging a 24-hour demonstration, involving staff from government ministries, driving test centres, museums, ports and airports.
National Education Union (NEU) members in England and Wales will also strike, as will EIS members in Clackmannanshire and Aberdeen and around 70,000 staff from 150 universities joining a University and College Union (UCU) demonstration.
Train drivers belonging to Aslef and RMT will also walk out, meaning 14 operators will be without staff, bringing services to a standstill across more than a dozen railway lines.
Abellio bus drivers are also striking in London.
Thursday 2 February
EIS members in Dundee and Argyll and Bute are at the picket line while the Abellio demonstration is also ongoing.
Friday 3 February
Aslef train drivers striking, with most companies affected and disruption expected, notably between England and Scotland and England and Wales.
EIS members in South Lanarkshire and the Western Isles are at the picket line this time while the Abellio demonstration continues.
Saturday 4 February
Aslef members working on the Bakerloo line of the London Underground walk out over safety concerns.
Monday 6 February
Members of the RCN will strike for 12 hours.
Paramedics, emergency care assistants, call handlers and other staff belonging to the GMB union will stage a walkout, as will ambulance workers from the Unite union working at the following trusts: West Midlands, East Midlands, North West, North East and Wales.
Tuesday 7 February
RCN members will strike for another 12 hours, as will NHS physiotherapists and Royal College of Midwives members in Wales.
Thursday 9 February
Chartered Society of Physiotherapy strike places NHS physiotherapy staff on the picket line, while the university strikes also resume at 150 institutions.
Friday 10 February
University strikes continue and thousands of ambulance workers belonging to Unison across five services in England will head to the picket lines.
Saturday 11 February
Aslef members working on the Bakerloo line of the London Underground walk out again.
Tuesday 14 February
University strikes resume on Valentine’s Day while NEU members in Wales walk out again.
Wednesday 15 February
University strikes continue.
Thursday 16 February
In Northern Ireland, Unite members working in health and social care and as ambulance staff will begin the first of two 48-hour strikes.
University strikes continue.
Friday 17 February
The above action by Unite members continues in Northern Ireland.
Monday 20 February
Paramedics, emergency care assistants, call handlers and other staff from the GMB union will stage a further walkout, as will Unite ambulance workers across trusts in the North East, East Midlands and Wales.
Tuesday 21 February
University strikes continue.
Wednesday 22 February
Unite ambulance workers strike in the North West of England.
University strikes continue.
Thursday 23 February
The second round of 48-hour strikes by health and social care workers and ambulance staff with Unite begins in Northern Ireland.
University strikes continue.
Friday 24 February
The above action by Unite members continues in Northern Ireland.
Monday 27 February
University strikes continue.
Tuesday 28 February
NEU members in the Northern, North West, Yorkshire and the Humber regions of England are set to strike.
University strikes continue.
