In an interview with the British “Sky News” network, Al-Zahawi said: “Our message to the trade unions is that this is not the time to strike, but rather the time to seek and negotiate. But in the absence of this, it is important for the government to have alternative plans.”
He added, “We are studying the use of the army, with a specialized response force with maximum energy,” explaining that the army can be used to drive ambulances.
upcoming strikes
The United Kingdom is preparing for more strikes, after unions representing more workers in the public and private sectors announced a new planned action or strike vote.
The announcement, in which highway care workers and hundreds of ground staff at London’s Heathrow Airport will join the strike list, comes amid a grim winter of dissatisfaction in Britain.
Strikes are multiplying in various sectors of the economy and in the public sector to protest against wages that are losing value in light of inflation, the highest in decades, and rising consumer prices.
Paramedics on Wednesday joined nurses in voting to strike before Christmas, while security staff at Eurostar, the high-speed train operator, are expected to strike this month.
Many other employees, from railway workers to lawyers, have gone on strike this year as the country grapples with its worst cost-of-living crisis in generations.
The Union of Public and Commercial Services, which represents many government employees, announced that highway workers will carry out a series of strikes from December 16 to January 7.
This would paralyze life in the country, as the strike would coincide with other strikes scheduled for railway workers.
The move follows the vote of 124 government departments and other public bodies last month in favor of the strike to demand a 10 percent wage increase, among other demands.
The Confederation of Public Services and Business said on Tuesday that the “first wave” of strikes sparked by the vote would see test drives and rural payments officers at more than 250 sites across the UK take part in a month-long series of intermittent strikes from mid-December.
Unite, in turn, said on Friday that about 350 of its members working as part of the ground services crews with the private contractor “Menzies” at Heathrow Airport will strike for a period of 72 hours, starting from the morning of December 16.
Unite pointed out that what was offered to the union members during the negotiations is an “actual salary cut.”
And revealed: The Association of Salaried Transport Workers, which represents railway workers on the new Elizabeth line in London, that it will organize a ballot for its members to decide whether to move.
The union reports that its members earn “significantly lower” wages than other workers within the network.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s government, which came to power less than 6 weeks ago, has maintained the approach of previous governments based on ministers avoiding direct interference in wage negotiations.
But its members have said in recent interviews that the country cannot afford increases that “raise inflation” while referring to the recommendations of the bodies concerned with looking at wages for workers in the public sector.
Inflation in the United Kingdom reached its highest rate in 41 years in October at 11.1 percent, in light of a sharp rise in energy and food bills.
#Britain #army #mitigate #impact #strikes #sectors