Strikes in the U.K. as Christmas approaches

Friday, December 16, 2022

Britain has undertaken a difficult time in 2022 with the grip of the coronavirus emerging in the past two years, only to be confronted by a dire cost of living crisis. Inflation and rocketing energy bills are getting intensified by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

To address the new ‘winter of discontent’ in Britain as Christmas approaches, the country’s unions, representing workers from a wide range of public-facing professions, conclude that they have no choice but to undertake industrial action as their calls for improved pay and working conditions go unanswered.

As 40,000 workers down tools at being the busiest period of the Rail, Maritime, and Transport (RMT) union has organized strike days during this period in a bid to force improved terms.

The latest walkouts denoted that despite every effort made by the negotiators, it was clear that the government was directly interfering with their attempts to settle.

To put it more simply the union suspended previous strike action in good faith to allow for intensive negotiations to resolve the dispute.

Yet the people said that the Network Rail has failed to make an improved offer on jobs, pay and conditions for their members during the last two weeks of talks.

Responding to this statement Network Rail’s chief negotiator Tim Shoveller claimed that no one could deny the precarious financial hole in which the railway finds itself. Striking makes the hole bigger and the task of finding a resolution even more difficult.

They added that they would not give up and hoped that the RMT would return to the table with a more realistic appreciation of the situation.

An equally significant aspect is that the Communication Workers Union, representing postal workers, was also at odds with Royal Mail over its member’s wages, leading to a struggling walkout at a time when the public would be shopping for Christmas presents online and relying on deliveries more than ever.

Royal Mail proceeded with stating that it has a well – developed contingency plans in place but cannot fully replace the daily efforts of the frontline workforce, assuring the customers it would be doing what it could to keep services running while warning that the strikes could cause disruption.

Here is a timeline of all of the strike dates announced so far for December 2022 and early January 2023.

Tuesday 13 December
RMT nationwide train strike
Thursday 15 December

Great Western Railway strike

Friday 16 December
RMT nationwide train strike
Saturday 17 December
RMT nationwide train strike
Saturday 24 December
RMT nationwide train strike from 6 pm
Sunday 25 December
RMT nationwide train strike
Monday 26 December
RMT nationwide train strike
Tuesday 3 January
RMT nationwide train strike
Wednesday 4 January
RMT nationwide train strike

Friday 6 January
RMT nationwide train strike

« Back to Page

• Sullenberger Aviation Museum Set to Open Its Doors on June 1st

• Jet2.com and Jet2CityBreaks expand offerings with Gdansk Christmas Market

• Mochitsuki Festival highlights Christmas in The Marianas, Dec 30

• Get enticed with an open bus tour in London during Christmas

• UK afflicted with yellow weather warnings post Christmas