Warning of mass disruption as rail, school and Govt unions call strikes for same day and threaten to bring UK to a halt
17 January 2023, 18:52 | Updated: 17 January 2023, 19:16
A day of strike action has been called for February 1 as rail, schools and Government departments are set to be struck by walk-outs.
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Train drivers at Aslef and the RMT will take action that day as part of the ongoing dispute over pay and conditions.
More than 70,000 staff across 150 universities will begin 18 days of strikes on February 1.
Teachers at the National Education Union will walk out in England and Wales and will be joined by some 100,000 civil servants who are members of the PCS.
It comes after suggestions unions could coordinate walkouts to combine their campaigns in various industrial disputes into one day of action.
Downing Street warned of the impact on the public and condemned the impact it will have on children and their education and ordinary commuters.
Rishi Sunak's spokesman said: "We're in no doubt that this strike action, some of which will fall on the same day or days, will cause significant disruption to the public - whether it's children having their education disrupted or the public trying to go about their daily lives on their commute.
"We don't think it's the right course of action, we continue to call unions to step away from the picket lines and continue with discussions."
The Government is expected to hold more Cobra meetings in the run up to the day.
Ministers want to tighten anti-strike laws which would force workers to maintain a minimum level of service during disruption. That would affect many sectors that are embroiled in industrial disputes and unions have opposed such plans fiercely.
"We have seen that we have been able to significantly mitigate against some of the challenges that would have otherwise been posed by some of these strikes," Mr Sunak has said.
RMT drivers at 14 train companies will walk out, as will Aslef train drivers, on February 1.
Education Secretary brands strike action by teachers as 'deeply disappointing'
PCS workers at government departments, driving test centres, museums, ports and airports will join them.
Schools across England and Wales could close if they don't have appropriate levels of staff.
Recent strikes have also seen nurses and ambulance staff walk out over pay and conditions, with unions demanding pay rises more in line with the soaring inflation seen since countries unlocked from Covid restrictions and after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Ministers are hoping to stop the strikes but meetings have ended without agreement, despite suggestions an accord could be reached in some of the disputes like the rail strikes.
Education secretary Michelle Keegan will meet representatives on Wednesday, she told LBC's Nick Ferrari.
