The wave of industrial action shows no sign of abating (Picture: Metro.co.uk)
Border Force staff, London bus workers, road traffic officers and Environment Agency employees are all set to walk out today as the wave of industrial action shows no sign of abating.
Further strikes are due in January by a number of unions, including nurses, ambulance staff and rail workers, while others, including firefighters, are currently balloting their members.
Earlier this week, a Cabinet minister warned that the Government will not be ‘held to ransom’ by public sector workers demanding better wages.
Speaking at Manchester Airport where military personnel are covering for striking Border Force staff, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace insisted there is ‘no magic wand’ to pay for above-inflation awards.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace (2nd left) at Manchester airport meeting members of the military as they cover for striking Border Force officers (Picture: PA)
Border Force staff at Gatwick, Heathrow, Birmingham, Cardiff, Manchester and Glasgow airports and the port of Newhaven resumed strikes on Wednesday (Picture: PA)
He said: ‘The trade unions can negotiate, they can negotiate with their employers and try and come to a resolution. That’s the most important thing. There’s no magic wand here to come up with money that the country doesn’t have.
‘Ultimately we’re in a position where we’re trying to listen to the independent advice, through the independent pay bodies, offer a settlement to the workforces, and then try and bring that to a resolution, but if the trade union leadership think we’re all just going to ignore these independent bodies to suit their agenda then they’ll be mistaken.’
Ministers have insisted they have met the recommendations of the main pay review bodies – covering workers like NHS staff, teachers, police and armed forces personnel – in full.
However the unions have complained that ministers determine the overall pay envelope, which was set this year before inflation took off.
Timeline of strikes over the next few weeks
– December 31
London bus workers at Abellio to strike.
Road strikes by National Highways employees will continue in the West Midlands and the South West.
Unison staff at the Environment Agency will refuse to volunteer to attend incidents.
PCS members with Border Force will continue their strike.
– January 1
National Highways workers to stage two-day action in all areas of the country.
The DVSA strike continues in the West Midlands, the Eastern region and the East Midlands.
Unison staff at the Environment Agency will refuse to volunteer to attend incidents.
– January 2
Unison staff at the Environment Agency will refuse to volunteer to attend incidents until 9am.
– January 3
RMT members at Network Rail to launch fresh strikes.
Rural Payments Agency (RPA) staff will resume their walkout.
All PCS members at National Highways, working for the traffic officer service, will take action.
– January 4
The DVSA driving examiners’ strike starts in London, the South East, South Wales and the South West.
Traffic officer service workers at National Highways will continue their walkout.
The RMT rail workers’ strike continues.
UK-wide National Highways strike continues.
RPA staff will continue their walkout.
London bus workers at Abellio to go on strike.
– January 5
Train workers at 15 operators with the Aslef union to stage a 24-hour walkout.
The DVSA strike continues in London, the South East, South Wales and the South West.
RPA staff will continue their walkout.
London bus workers at Abellio to go on strike.
– January 6
RMT rail workers will stage another 48-hour strike.
National Highways workers to stage a two-day action in the East Midlands and eastern England.
The DVSA strike continues in London, the South East, South Wales and the South West.
RPA staff to continue their walkout.
– January 7
The RMT rail workers’ walkout continues.
National Highways workers will continue their strike in the East Midlands and eastern England.
The DVSA strike continues in London, the South East, South Wales and the South West.
– January 8
The DVSA strike continues in London, the South East, South Wales and the South West.
– January 9
The DVSA strike continues in London, the South East, South Wales and the South West.
RPA staff to continue their walkout.
– January 10
The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) union will stage a national strike in primary schools, special schools and early years sites.
The DVSA strike continues in London, the South East, South Wales and the South West.
RPA staff to continue their walkout.
London bus workers at Abellio to go on strike.
– January 11
Unison members working for five ambulance services in England will stage a fresh walkout.
The GMB union, also representing ambulance staff, has now scheduled further strike action for this date.
EIS, joined by the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association, will stage another national strike in secondary schools and secondary special schools.
RPA staff will continue their walkout.
– January 12
Workers on London’s Elizabeth line will go on strike.
London bus workers at Abellio will also stage industrial action.
RPA staff will continue their walkout.
– January 13
RPA staff to continue their walkout.
– January 16
EIS to stage a national strike for 16 consecutive days until February 2, which will see members in two local authorities strike each day.
London bus workers at Abellio will go on strike.
– January 18
Royal College of Nursing (RCN) members in England will strike.
– January 19
London bus workers at Abellio will go on strike.
RCN members in England will continue their strike.
– January 23
Unison members working for five ambulance services in England will stage another walkout.
– January 25
London bus workers at Abellio will go on strike.
– January 26
London bus workers at Abellio will continue strike.
New TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said if the review bodies are to have real credibility they have to be ‘genuinely independent’ but that currently they are operating with their ‘hands tied’ by the Government.
‘Our unions are looking very seriously at the pay review bodies and looking particularly at the way the Government has used them effectively as a human shield in this discussion about public sector pay,’ he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
‘The pay review body process itself is in danger of being brought into disrepute because the Government is hiding behind the pay review bodies, refusing to negotiate on pay and refusing to reach a reasonable settlement with our public sector unions.’
Mr Nowak said he believes compromise is possible but only if ministers are prepared to enter into negotiations, adding: ‘There has got to be a landing zone somewhere between the 4%-5% the Government has offered and the 19% some unions have claimed but what is crucially important is that the Government actually sits down and negotiates.’
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Border Force staff, London bus workers, road traffic officers and Environment Agency employees are all set to walk out today.
