More than 750,000 teachers could strike if they are not handed a pay rise of up to 12 per cent, it was revealed today, as council workers, binmen, barristers and NHS staff all threatened to walk out on a level not seen since the Winter of Discontent in the 1970s.
Two key teaching unions are considering balloting members over strike action if a significant pay increase is not offered by Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi on Wednesday.
Teachers could soon vote on industrial action in a week where Britain is bracing itself for chaos with the biggest rail strike in a generation. which will also hit A-Level and GCSE students during their exams.
And other trade unions are threatening walkouts this summer which could see action from, NHS staff, barristers, postmen and all kids of public sector workers. Up to 1.5million workers are being balloted over strike action.
The National Education Union (NEU) said a letter to be sent to Mr Zahawi on Wednesday that the union is prepared to ballot its members if a pay rise more in line with inflation is not offered. Joint general secretary Dr Mary Bousted said it must be a minimum of nine per cent.
Dr Bousted admitted there is ‘a risk’ that her union’s inflation level pay demand will help fuel further price increases, but said: ‘The risk if you don’t pay teachers properly is greater’.
She said: ‘This is a cry for help. We’ve seen since 2010 teachers pay kept artificially low, and we all know what an immensely important teachers do, but they haven’t been valued for that job. Now the cost of living crisis is driving them away from the profession. Our members don’t want to take strike action… but we can’t carry on like this any longer’.
NASUWT leaders have also called for a 12% pay increase for teachers this year, and said it will ballot members in England, Wales and Scotland for industrial action if its demands are not met. A pay award for 2022/23 is due in November.
Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT general secretary, said: ‘We will not allow cuts to our members’ pay and attacks on their pensions. If a pay rise is not awarded, it will be won by our members in workplaces through industrial action’.
The National Education Union’s boss Dr Mary Bousted and Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT general secretary, are both plotting strikes if pay deals for teachers are not at inflation levels
Mick Lynch, Secretary-General of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers speaks at a trades union organised protest march opposed to British government policies at Parliament Square in London, Britain, June 18, 2022
UNISON General Secretary Christina McAnea wants a better deal for NHS staff. Terry Pullinger, CWU Deputy General Secretary, is leading the strike plans at Royal Mail
Commuters were urged to stay at home today ahead of the worst shutdown of Britain’s railways for 30 years from tomorrow as militant unions threatened to strike up until Christmas.
Millions of people will be forced to work from home or battle into work on foot, bike or in rammed buses due to the three days of strikes that run tomorrow, Thursday and Saturday. The strike has been designed so there will also be severe disruption for on non-strike days too, causing six days of chaos.
The rail strikes will also directly affect pupils, who are taking their GCSEs and A-levels this week, which rely on trains to get them to school. The walkouts will also cause misery for music and sports fans, especially the 200,000 people heading to the Glastonbury Festival after a three-year hiatus.
And today it emerged that teachers, doctors, binmen, barristers and postmen could join rail workers in heaping walkout misery upon Britain this Summer and into the Autumn.
Sir Keir Starmer yesterday again failed to condemn rail strikes that will cause chaos this week and cost businesses hundreds of millions of pounds.
‘The plan by unions to bring Britain to a standstill by holding strikes across swathes of the economy and our public services is deeply selfish,’ said Tory party chairman Oliver Dowden.
‘Hard-pressed families and businesses will suffer extra costs and disruption caused by these unnecessary strikes.’
Lord Blunkett, the Labour former home secretary, urged union bosses to ‘stop pretending they are in the 1970s or 1980s’.
Last night, senior rail sources said that agency workers are not going to be the ‘silver bullet’ many are hoping for to help stop the disruptive strikes.
The rail and Tube strikes are likely to cost the economy at least £91million in staff absences alone, according to analysis by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR). They calculated that 0.8 per cent of staff – more than 250,000 people – will not be able to get to work.
They said that while the industry would welcome plans for agency workers to cover gaps in the workforce, it would ‘only prove useful’ in the ‘less skilled parts’ of railway companies.
The source told The Times: ‘It takes a year to train someone as a signaller. In the same way you can’t just put an agency worker in the cab of a train, it’s not a silver bullet by any measure.’
Two teaching unions with a combined membership of around 750,000 yesterday became the latest to warn of walkouts unless salaries go up.
And half a million Health Service staff could strike over their pay offer.
Commuters will not be the only ones facing chaos this week, as doctors, nurses, workers in the civil service and local governments, postal workers, traffic wardens and BT engineers are said to be considering joining strike ballots.
RMT union boss Mick Lynch yesterday suggested the rail strikes could stretch into the autumn, warning: ‘There are going to be many unions balloting across the country, because people can’t take it anymore.’
Unison members and members of the public take part in a TUC national demonstration in central London to demand action on the cost of living, a new deal for working people and a pay rise for all workers. Picture date: Saturday June 18, 2022
Tory MP Brendan Clarke-Smith said Labour’s failure to condemn the strikes showed it was in hock to the unions.
He added: ‘Now they want to take us back to the 1970s and bring this country to a standstill. Many people still remember the Winter of Discontent, 25 per cent inflation, sky-high interest rates, IMF bailouts, three-day weeks and rubbish on the streets.
‘We must tackle this head on and show that the British people will not be held to ransom.’
The NASUWT teaching union said yesterday that its 300,000 members would be balloted unless the Government backed demands for a 12 per cent pay rise.
General secretary Patrick Roach said Britain faced an ‘existential emergency for the future of the teaching profession’ because of the cost-of-living crisis coupled with ‘real-terms pay cuts’.
He added: ‘The Government wrongly assumed teachers would simply stand by as they erode pay and strip our education system to the bone. If a pay rise is not awarded, it will be won by our members in workplaces through industrial action.’
The National Education Union will also prepare to ballot its 460,000 members – ranging from teachers and lecturers to support staff – unless an acceptable pay rise is offered in line with inflation.
Joint general secretary Kevin Courtney said: ‘If there is no significant improvement on 3 per cent – which will leave an 8 per cent gap with inflation this year alone – we cannot avoid a ballot. The mood among teachers has changed.
‘Last year the issue was mainly workload. This year it is workload and pay.’
Unison, the country’s biggest union, has indicated half a million members could strike over the upcoming NHS pay offer, which is expected in June, if it falls short of the 9.2 per cent rate of inflation.
The NHS walkout would likely see thousands of appointments and operations missed because patients will be unable to get to hospitals and surgeries.
National medical director of NHS England, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, said it was ‘vital’ that people sought appointments and treatment despite the disruption.
General secretary Christina McAnea said: ‘The Government has a simple choice. Either it makes a sensible pay award, investing in staff and services and reducing delays for patients or it risks a potential dispute, growing workforce shortages and increased suffering for the sick.’
The British Medication Association has also said it would ballot members over junior doctors’ pay. And the railways could be hit by further strikes in the summer holidays after the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association served notice to ballot hundreds of workers at Southeastern and Great Western Railway over demands for no compulsory redundancies and a pay rise.
Gen sec. of Unison – the largest union representing NHS staff – Christina McAnea said: ‘The Government has a simple choice. Either it makes a sensible pay award, investing in staff and services and reducing delays for patients or it risks a potential dispute, growing workforce shortages and increased suffering for the sick’
Joint general secretary of the National Education Union Kevin Courtney said: ‘If there is no significant improvement on 3 per cent – which will leave an 8 per cent gap with inflation this year alone – we cannot avoid a ballot. The mood among teachers has changed’
Some 115,000 Royal Mail workers are set to be balloted by the Communication Workers Union in another dispute over pay.
Royal Mail announced last week that staff would receive a 2 per cent pay rise but CWU deputy general secretary Terry Pullinger said it was ‘nowhere near acceptable’.
The rail strikes will also directly affect pupils, who are taking their GCSEs and A-levels this week, which rely on trains to get them to school.
On Tuesday, teenagers sitting GCSE history or dance, or A-level German, religious studies, or maths could be hit. Those taking A-level chemistry or GCSE physics on Thursday could also be affected.
The Public and Commercial Services Union, which has around 180,000 members in the Civil Service, will also vote in September over possible action over its demand for a 10 per cent pay rise. Barristers are voting on whether to strike over legal aid rates, with a decision due today.
Lord Blunkett last night warned the unions that mass walkouts would be counter-productive. ‘The one way to lose all support and ensure the re-election of Boris Johnson is to fall into the elephant trap,’ he said.
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng will table legislation as early as this week to let businesses recruit temporary staff during walkouts, a practice that is currently banned.
And the walkouts are also expected to cause misery for music and spots fans, with Glastonbury Festival, which will see 200,000 revellers return to Somerset for the first time in three years, will
Many festival-goers typically take the train to the nearest station at Castle Cary before catching a bus to the festival site.
While Great Western Railway said it planned to keep some trains running between the station and London Paddington during the festival, it has warned the times of some services might change.
Coach firm National Express said it had seen ‘a significant increase in both inquiries and bookings’ as people opt to travel with it, and warned of heavy traffic around the festival site.
Will rail strikes wreck your week? From hospitals and holidays, to glamping and Glastonbury… how the walkouts will bite across the country
Britain is braced for a week of chaos as the biggest rail strike in a generation looks likely to paralyse the national network.
With services slashed to 20 per cent of their normal frequency, some places cut off entirely and passengers warned not to travel unless their journeys are absolutely necessary, here is how the walkouts are set to cripple different sectors.
NHS
Thousands of appointments and operations are likely to be missed because patients will be unable to get to hospitals and surgeries.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, national medical director of NHS England, said it was ‘vital’ that people sought appointments and treatment despite the disruption.
‘I am urging those who have appointments booked in to plan ahead and look at alternative options for getting to their GP practice or hospital if needed,’ he said.
Thousands of appointments and operations are likely to be missed because of next week’s rail strikes
Health Secretary Sajid Javid has said the walkouts will ‘put patients at risk’ as doctors, nurses and other frontline staff struggle to get to work.
One senior NHS leader warned the strikes ‘will probably end up killing people because they’ll prevent ambulance trust staff getting to work’.
The strikes are expected to hit London hospitals especially hard, as many have limited parking capacity for patients who decide to drive to appointments.
Both London Ambulance Service Trust and South Central Ambulance Service Foundation Trust have moved to the highest level of alert, which shows they are under extreme pressure.
Schools
Families of pupils sitting GCSEs and A-levels who usually rely on trains to get them to school have been urged to find travel arrangements for this week.
On Tuesday, those teenagers who are sitting GCSE history or dance, or A-level German, religious studies or maths could be hit.
On Thursday, those who will be taking A-level chemistry or GCSE physics papers may be affected.
Students sitting GCSE history or dance, or A-level German, religious studies or maths could be affected by the strike action
A total of 17 GCSE and 22 A-level papers could be disrupted by the strikes.
Schools will be allowed to begin exams up to 30 minutes late or relocate them to mitigate against disruption, according to guidance from the Joint Council for Qualifications, which represents the UK’s biggest exam boards.
Julie McCulloch, of the Association of School and College Leaders, said while most pupils lived near schools and typically travelled by bus, it was important that families made ‘alternative arrangements’ for those reliant on trains.
She urged pupils worried about how they would attend exams to talk to their school to discuss their options.
Economy
The rail and Tube strikes are likely to cost the economy at least £91million in staff absences alone, according to analysis by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR).
The CEBR calculated that 0.8 per cent of staff – more than 250,000 people – will not be able to get to work.
It estimates that almost half the £91million – £45.1million – will be incurred tomorrow, given the greater number of commuters then and the separate London Underground strikes.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps pictured during a press conference in Downing Street last month
On Thursday, output losses are estimated at £26.3million, while on Saturday, they are expected to be £19.6million.
The capital is set to face the largest hit, with a loss to the economy of £52million, it found.
Other estimates suggest the cost to the UK economy overall could be as much as £450million.
Major events
The walkouts are expected to cause misery for music and sports fans.
Following a three-year hiatus Glastonbury Festival returns from Wednesday, with 200,000 revellers heading to Somerset.
Many festival-goers typically take the train to the nearest station at Castle Cary before catching a bus to the festival site.
While Great Western Railway said it planned to keep some trains running between the station and London Paddington during the festival, it has warned the times of some services might change.
Coach firm National Express said it had seen ‘a significant increase in both inquiries and bookings’ as people opt to travel with it, and warned of heavy traffic around the festival site.
Following a three-year hiatus Glastonbury Festival returns from Wednesday, but festival-goers who usually take the train to the event will be affected
Sports fans are also set to be hit for six when England plays its third Test match against New Zealand at Headingley in Leeds from June 23 to 27.
The UK Athletics Championships run from Friday to Sunday in Manchester.
By-elections in Wakefield and in Tiverton and Honiton take place on Thursday, while Elton John and the Rolling Stones are playing gigs in London’s Hyde Park on Friday and Saturday respectively.
Nationwide events to commemorate veterans could also be disrupted as UK Armed Forces Day takes place on Saturday.
Hospitality and holidays
UK Hospitality, which represents the tourism, leisure and theatre sectors, warned the strikes could cost businesses over a billion pounds.
Footfall looks set to drop by 9.3 per cent across all retail outlets this week, with high streets due to be visited by 10 per cent fewer customers, while the figure for shopping centres will be 13 per cent down, according to the retail consultancy Springboard.
Holidaymakers hoping to travel by train to London airports are being warned to expect severe disruption and reduced timetables.
There will be no Gatwick Express services on strike days, while the Stansted Express and Heathrow Express services will run just two trains an hour, with much later first and earlier last trains.
Eurostar is running a reduced timetable next week and has cancelled 41 trains between London and Paris and Brussels and Amsterdam.
The roads
Experts have warned of a surge in congestion as commuters who usually take the train may opt to drive instead
People who decide to drive or take the bus due to the strikes should brace themselves for a surge in congestion, experts have said.
Many of those without cars are turning to bus travel. Stagecoach, the country’s biggest bus and coach operator, said next week’s bookings for its Megabus service had increased by 85 per cent.
Main motorway arteries and roads in rural and suburban areas are likely to be the worst affected, the AA predicted, although it said it expected the impact to be ‘slightly cushioned by record fuel prices’ and some commuters working from home.
AA president Edmund King has called for all road charges to be waived on strike days to stop areas becoming ‘ghost towns’, while business minister Paul Scully urged London Mayor Sadiq Khan to suspend road charges and non-essential roadworks to help people get to work.