Wider strikes expected in Britain in light of the crisis of the high cost of living

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 Heathrow Airport will join the strike list, comes in the midst of a grim winter of discontentment in Britain.

Strikes are multiplying in various sectors of the economy and in the public sector, in protest against wages that are losing their value in light of inflation, which is the highest in decades, and the rise in consumer prices.

Paramedics Wednesday joined nurses in voting in favor of the strike before Christmas, while security staff at Eurostar, the fast 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.

And the Union of Public and Commercial Services, which represents many government employees, announced that the 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% increase in wages and more.

The Confederation of Public Services and Business said on Tuesday that the "first wave" of strikes triggered 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 said on Friday that around 350 of its ground crew members working for private contractor Menzies at Heathrow would strike for 72 hours 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."

The Transport Wage Workers' Association, which represents railway workers on London's New Elizabeth Line, said it would hold a vote for its members to decide whether to move.

The union reports that its members earn "significantly lower" wages than other workers within the network.

Follow our latest local and sports news and the latest political and economic developments via Google news