The last couple of months have been heavily disrupted because of strikes. Nurses, postal workers, train workers and ambulance staff have all been going on strikes and planned walkouts over unfair pay and working conditions. Today, is no different with strikes taking place across England and Wales.
The December strikes have been a bit of a problem for everyone, but none more so than the staff tirelessly demanding what they deserve. It’s always best to keep up to date on who is striking and when so that you can take the necessary precautions. If you’re wondering who is striking today, then we can tell you.
Who Is On Strike Today?
Today, Wednesday, December 21, ambulance workers are striking with planned walkouts across England and Wales. The strike is over unfair pay and working conditions, with ambulance wait times becoming an increasing problem.
To help squash the disruption, the BBC reports that over 750 military staff have been called in to take the ambulance workers’ places. Want they can actually contribute is of course, limited. They will not be treating any clinical cases nor sent to critical care callouts.
Provisions have been in place so that emergencies can still be taken care of.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis told BBC Radio 4 the following this morning:
“Today is obviously going to be a very difficult day with the health service. But we’ve been working very closely with the unions to ensure that emergency services for life-threatening conditions are maintained, and that will include stroke and heart attacks.
There are increased clinicians in call centres to ensure that the right response goes out to the right incident.”
However, the general public are still being advised to take care and only dial 999 in utter emergencies. This will be the biggest day of strike action for ambulance workers, with only the GMB union taking a further day of walkouts on Wednesday, December 28.
Postal Workers
If you are concerned about Christmas post, then these are the days that Royal Mail are striking over the next week.
- 23 December 2022
- 24 December 2022
Any first-class deliveries in time for Christmas had to be sent by December 16. It is not yet certain if the postal strikes will continue into the new year. Further strike action has happened due to Royal Mail dismissing the pay rise suggestion from the CWU.
Train Strikes Head Into January
Other unions that will be taking strike action are those that concern rail workers. There will be no trains or strike action on the following days:
- 24 December 2022
- 25 December 2022
- 26 December 2022
- 3 January 2023
- 4 January 2023
- 5 January 2023
- 6 January 2023
- 7 January 2023
Disruptions will be across the UK and people return home for Christmas, starting work again in the new year. The public is being advised to only travel via train when absolutely necessary to limit the disruption. Network Rail has told the BBC that half of the rail lines will be shut on the above days.
Plan ahead with all strikes so that you and others are not too affected.