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aMuch of the daily strike action across sectors from transport to the NHS is set to take place in the run up to Christmas and beyond amid a continuing stalemate between unions, employers and the government over pay and conditions.
The Fire Brigades Union is also planning a ballot for its members after rejecting a 5% pay rise. And with millions of workers facing cost-of-life crises, the GMB union – which represents some of the ambulance workers who voted on strike this week – warned that “the government needs to listen to their concerns”.
The PCS, which represents civil servants including Border Force officers, passport office workers and national highway workers, has also endorsed the strike action but dates are yet to be confirmed.
However, Downing Street urged public sector unions on Thursday to stop what it described as “unnecessary” industrial action.
Here, we sketch which services are expected to be affected in December.
1 December
Royal Mail workers, university lecturers and staff at sixth form colleges are on strike over a pay dispute in one of the biggest walkouts of the current wave of industrial action.
As well as their action this week, mail members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) will hold a day of action in the run-up to Christmas Eve.
Members of the University and College Union (UCU) are on strike at 150 universities, following a 48-hour strike last week with a 24-hour stoppage.
Action on colleges is being organized by the National Education Union (NEU), whose members include 77 sixth form workers in England, who say pay has fallen by an estimated 20% in real terms since 2010.
Monday 5 December
More than 1,000 security staff delivering cash and coins at some of the UK’s biggest banks and supermarkets are to take part in a 48-hour strike.
Action by 1,156 members of the GMB union working for security company G4S is due to start at 3am.
The union is asking the company for a 15% pay rise on behalf of its members to account for inflation.
Wednesday 7 December
Teachers from the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association and NASUWT unions will begin the first of two days of strike action in a dispute over pay.
Thursday 8 December
Bus drivers on Metroline, which covers routes in north and west London, could go ahead with strike action if they reject an offer of improved pay from the company.
Three days of strike action this week involving more than 2,000 bus drivers from the United Union were called off on November 30 after last-minute negotiations tabled an offer, which will be subject to a vote.
Scottish secondary school teachers are on their second day of strike.
Friday 9 December
Bus workers for Abellio, whose services are mostly concentrated in south and west London, are to go on their latest strike after three days of action at the end of November.
Also on strike:
Unionize bus drivers at Metroline over whether improved pay offer is accepted.
Postal worker members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU).
Saturday 10 December
Abellio bus workers in south and west London are to strike again.
Sunday 11 December
Postal worker members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU).
Monday 12 December
Strikes by Unison members will take place across Northern Ireland over ambulances and other NHS services.
Tuesday 13 December
Thousands of members of the RMT union, who work for Network Rail and 14 train operating companies, are due to go on strike on the first day, causing six consecutive days of disruption over Christmas.
The strike includes crucial signaling staff, whose absence means only a minority of services will run on main lines, while minor lines will have no trains.
Workers from another transport union, TSSA, will also take strike action in an ongoing national rail dispute over their pay, job security and conditions. Their strike on this day will affect the Avanti West Coast line.
It will also be the first of several strikes by employees of the government’s Rural Payments Agency (RPA).
Also in the civil service, workers including driving examiners and call center staff will begin regional walkouts at the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, starting in Scotland and Northern Ireland from this date.
Wednesday 14 December
Another day of multiple strikes including RMT members working for Network Rail and 14 train operating companies; TSSA members on Avanti West Coast Line; Postal-worker members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) and staff of the Rural Payments Agency.
Thursday 15 December
The first in a series of stoppages by 100,000 nurses, which will affect 53 NHS organizations in England.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has made it clear that it will not increase its rate of industrial action unless Health Secretary Steve Barclay engages in detailed negotiations over their demand for a pay rise of inflation plus 5%.
Unite bus drivers at Metroline may also take action, depending on whether the improved pay offer is accepted; So the postal-worker members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU).
Friday 16 December
Security staff working for Eurostar, who are members of the RMT, will begin the first of four days of walk-outs at the start of Christmas over a pay dispute, although the action is unlikely to stop trains.
Action is also expected by RMT members working for Network Rail and 14 train operating companies; unionize bus drivers at Metroline, depending on whether an offer of improved pay is accepted; Abellio bus workers in south and west London; TSSA members and staff at the Rural Payments Agency on the Avanti West Coast Line.
Saturday 17 December
The strike action will be taken by members of the TSSA working for c2c, which serves more than two dozen stations between East London and South Essex; RMT members working for Network Rail and 14 train operating companies; Abellio bus workers in south and west London; And TSSA members will also be in action on the Avanti West Coast line.
Sunday 18 December
RMT members will begin an overtime strike across the railways, which will last until January 2, meaning the RMT will take industrial action for four weeks.
TSSA union members will begin industrial action shortly after the strike (ASOS) affecting the Avanti West Coast line.
ASOS, in which members only perform contractually required duties, will also take place at different times at different companies in the run-up to Christmas. Eurostar security staff will also be on strike.
Tuesday 20 December
Strike action by Royal College of Nursing (RCN) nurses.
Action by ambulance and other health workers is also possible amid negotiations by unions on coordinated efforts.
Thursday 22 December
The sweepers, who are members of the RMT union, will begin the first of several days of strike action by rail companies including Avanti, although services are unlikely to stop. Eurostar security staff will also be outside.
Friday 23 December
Eurostar security staff, cleaners for a number of rail companies and postal-worker members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) are all due to take action.
24 December Saturday
Postal worker members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) are to go on strike.
31 December Saturday
RMT members working as cleaners for a number of rail companies are to take action.
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