Member Article

One million workers set to take part as public sector strikes hit

Public sector strikes will hit the UK today over pay freezes and falling living standards.

Teachers (as part of the National Union of Teachers) librarians, RMT transport workers, refuse collectors as well as civil servants will take part in what is thought to be the biggest strike action in three years.

It has been reportedthat a Cabinet spokesperson has rejected the idea that up to a million people could go on strike saying: “In past years, unions made inflated claims about how many they thought would participate in strike action. They were shown to be wrong.

“We have rigorous contingency plans in place but we expect the majority of hard-working public servants to turn up for work across the country.”

TUC research published on Wednesday found that since the government took office, a combination of pay freezes and below inflation pay increases have left local government workers, NHS staff, teachers, firefighters, civil servants and other public servants on average £2,245 worse off in real terms.

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Across the public sector workers are on strike today to say enough is enough. Year after year pay has failed to keep up with the cost of living. Public sector workers are on average more than £2,000 worse off under this government.

“Nearly half a million local government workers earn less than the living wage. But even as the economy starts to grow, ministers have told them that the pay cap will last until at least 2018.

“This is why today’s strikers deserve public support. They are saying that ordinary workers should not be locked out of the recovery, and that we should all get a fair share as the economy grows again.”

David Cameron responded in the PM’s Questions saying: “I don’t think these strikes are right… I think people should turn up for work.”

“I think the time has come for looking at setting thresholds in strike ballots… The [NUT] strike ballot took place in 2012, based on a 27% turnout.

“How can it possibly be right for our children’s education to be disrupted by trade unions acting in that way? It is time to legislate and it will be in the Conservative manifesto.”

Photo: Courtesy of Nick Efford

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .