the NEU in England will strike for two days over the summer, the NEU has confirmed, after its members rejected a wage offer from the government.
The strikes will take place on Thursday, April 27 and Tuesday, May 2.
Meanwhile strike action by security guards at Heathrow Airport continues today as travel plans continue to be disrupted.
The ten-day strike began on Friday (March 31) after a last-minute pay dispute could not be resolved.
Heathrow airport has said some passengers may have to queue longer to get through security during the Easter holiday period.
About 1,400 members of Unite union, who are employed by Heathrow Airports Ltd (HAL), are expected to take part in the 10-day strike, which ends at 11:59 p.m. Easter Sunday.
The strikes involve security officers at Terminal 5, used exclusively by British Airways, and campus security guards responsible for checking all cargo entering the airport.
Workers in several sectors continued to strike in April, including Passport Bureau workers who are set to strike for five weeks in a dispute over jobs, wages and conditions.
Which industries will be affected by strikes in the coming weeks and when will staff walk away?
Airport employees
Heathrow Airport security staff will strike between March 31 and April 9.
Sky News reported that travelers heading to the UK’s busiest airport are facing “severe delays” after Unite’s more than 1,400 security guards announced their 10-day strike.
Sharon Graham, the union’s general secretary, said her members were “fundamental to [the airport’s] success” and they deserved a fair pay raise.
Unite has accused the airport of a real wage cut.
Heathrow said it had offered a 10 per cent pay rise retroactive to January 1, plus a lump sum payment (over £1,000).
Sky News reported a Heathrow spokesman saying the airport had “contingency plans” which would “keep the airport open and operational despite unnecessary threats of strike action by Unite”.
Passport office staff strike
Passport office workers will strike for five weeks in an escalation of a wage row. More than 1,000 Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union members working in passport offices in England, Scotland and Wales will leave from April 3 to May 5.
Workers in Durham, Glasgow, Liverpool, LondonNewport, Peterborough and Southport will strike from April 3 to May 5, while those in Belfast will strike from April 7 to May 5.
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “They seem to think they will leave if they ignore our members. But how can our members ignore the cost-of-living crisis when 40,000 civil servants use food banks and 45,000 of them claim the benefits they manage themselves?
“It is a national scandal and a stain on the reputation of this government that so many of its own workforce live in poverty.”
When do teachers strike?
The NEU, the UK’s largest teachers’ union, has rejected a wage proposal from the government and confirmed a further strike on April 27 and May 2.
This action follows strikes by NEU members on March 15. Industrial action also took place on February 1, when half of all UK schools were at least partially closed, as were other recent strikes.
However, strikes in Wales and Scotland have been called off.
Which civil servants are going on strike and why?
Officials from 123 government departments and agencies went on strike on March 15. The strike by 100,000 PCS members was an attempt to put significant pressure on the government, the PCS said.
The PCS union’s move followed a failure to comply with its demand for a 10 percent pay rise, better pensions, job security and no cuts to severance pay. It hit all government arms, including Ofsted, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and Border Force.
The PCS has also confirmed that more than 700 of its members of the Swansea Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) call center will stage a strike on April 11-12. The union said the strike is likely to cause disruptions for those asking about their driver’s licenses.
More than 1,600 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) employees staged a series of strikes across England, Scotland and Wales until March 28.
Pediatricians strike
Doctors in training in England will escalate their strike action with a four-day strike in April, the British Medical Association (BMA) has announced.
The BMA confirmed on Thursday (March 30) that young medics would walk away for 96 hours, starting at 7 a.m. on April 11, in a bitter dispute pay too much.
The April strike is the most significant union action called for by a health union to date. It is a blow to the Minister of Health Steve Barclayhopes to put an end to industrial action in the health service by spring.
It comes just days after the BMA agreed to “intensive talks” over pay with Mr Barclay, raising hopes that further strikes could be avoided.
Amazon employees
As reported by Sky News, striking Amazon workers said they would step up union action after an “offensive” new pay rise. Amazon announced it would increase the minimum starting salary of its UK employees by at least 50p to between £11 and £12 an hour from April.
The company said the exact amount would vary depending on location.
Sky News said the increase followed several strikes by Amazon warehouse workers in Coventry since January, with GMB members in the West Midlands calling for at least £15 an hour to help with the cost of living crisis.
Amazon raised base pay by 50p to a minimum of £10.50 to £11.45 an hour earlier last year and said it had increased by 10 per cent over the past seven months.
But GMB senior organizer Amanda Gearing said: “We are listening to Amazon workers and the message is very clear: this new pay rate is an insult.
“So in response to this, we will consult in the coming days and announce another wave of action.”
Amazon workers in the UK staged their first strike on January 25. They have asked for higher pay and have also complained about overbearing management practices and long hours, the Guardian reported.
An Amazon spokesperson said: “Over the past seven months, our entry-level minimum wage has increased by 10 percent and more than 37 percent since 2018. We are also working hard to provide great benefits, a positive work environment and excellent career opportunities. .
“These are just some of the reasons people want to join Amazon, whether it’s their first job, a seasonal role, or an opportunity for them to advance their careers.”
The future of railway and subway strikes
London Underground drivers went on strike Budget dayMarch 15, in a dispute over pensions and terms of employment. Train drivers correct Aslef said 99 percent of members voted for the 24-hour strike.
Network Rail workers have voted to accept a new wage offer and train operator workers have suspended strikes on March 30 and April 1 as they consider a revised offer.
Railway workers’ strikes have been taking place for months, leaving many people unable to work and having major consequences for companies. Unions are in conflict with the government and railway companies over wages, job cuts and changes in terms.
They say any compensation offer should take into account the rising cost of living – with inflation now over 10 percent. But the financial fallout from the pandemic has put pressure on the rail sector to cut costs.
Bosses say reforms need to be agreed so that wage increases can be paid and the railways modernised.