Strikes

At the same time, the Trades Union Congress, which represents 48 unions, is holding over 75 rallies across the United Kingdom to protest a government bill that ...

In a sign that industrial unrest could escalate further, UK firefighters have voted to strike for the first time since 2003. According to the union, pay for experienced teachers has declined by 23% since 2010 once inflation is taken into account. It sees the UK economy contracting by 0.6% in 2023, a 0.9 percentage point downgrade from its forecast in October. The bill would require basic service levels to be maintained in the fire, ambulance and rail sectors in the event of walkouts. The strikes will take a toll on already slowing economic growth. Many public sector workers have been offered raises of 4% or 5% for the current financial year, with the annual rate of inflation running at 10.5% Strikes will affect around 23,400 schools, about 85%, in England and Wales, with many closed fully or partially. Sian Elliott, a senior policy officer at the Trades Union Congress told CNN that the solution to the wave of strikes was simple: “All that is needed in order to resolve the current disputes is just to offer an improved pay deal.” [upgraded](https://edition.cnn.com/2023/01/30/economy/imf-world-economic-outlook-2023/index.html) its forecast for global growth, on the back of China’s reopening and an improvement in financial conditions as inflation starts to ease. [striking](https://edition.cnn.com/2023/01/09/economy/uk-strike-talks/index.html) across [Britain](https://edition.cnn.com/2023/01/24/economy/eurozone-recession-growth/index.html) on Wednesday, closing schools, canceling university lectures and bringing most of the rail network to a standstill in what unions say is the biggest single day of [walkouts](https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/21/uk/uk-strikes-explainer-ambulance-nurses-railways-gbr-intl/index.html) in more than a decade. Up to 300,000 teachers are expected to strike on Wednesday, marking the first of seven days of strike action through February and March by the National Education Union, the largest union in the sector. [government bill](https://edition.cnn.com/2023/01/06/economy/uk-anti-strike-law/index.html) that it argues is an “attack” on the right to strike.

Britain is experiencing strike chaos on Wednesday as up to half-a-million civil servants, teachers and train drivers walk out simultaneously in the most ...

“We are the working-class, and we are back. We will not be divided on the basis of our belief, or the colour of our skin, or the part of the country we are from. We will not be divided on the basis of who we work for. They want constructive talks that deal directly with the long-standing concerns they experience in their schools and colleges every day. The majority of schools have been affected by the first day of walkouts by tens of thousands of National Education Union (NEU) members, according to a snapshot poll by a school leaders' union. Nearly a fifth (17.4%) of secondary schools were estimated to be fully open and a further 73.6% were restricting attendance, compared to 52.1% of primary schools estimated to be fully open and 38.7% restricting attendance. The majority of schools have been affected by the first day of walkouts by tens of thousands of National Education Union (NEU) members, according to a snapshot poll by a school leaders’ union. For our latest lead on strikes Around 16,400 (77%) state schools in England submitted attendance data to the DfE on the first day of walkouts by the National Education Union. Nearly nine in 10 schools and sixth-form colleges in England and Wales with teachers on strike have shut their doors to some pupils, a survey suggests. So that they can get back to doing what they do best, working with pupils in the classroom. Speaking on the first day of teacher strikes in England and Wales, Ms Keegan said: "I am very grateful to head teachers for all their work to keep our schools open and to minimise the impact of today's strike action.

Today is the biggest day of industrial action in more than a decade as school teachers, train drivers, civil servants and university lecturers strike.

In a message to parents, Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the NEU, said: “The strike will disrupt their child’s education and we regret that, and it will disrupt their home life and their work life and we regret that. Thousands of Environment Agency workers are also expected to strike on February 8 in a dispute over pay. It comes as fresh strikes have been announced for later this month, with thousands of ambulance workers across five services in England set to take action on February 10 in a long-running dispute over pay and staffing. [more than 100,000 teachers take action](https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/national/uk-today/23289332.teacher-strikes-send-child-school/) in a dispute over pay, come on the same day that university lecturers, train drivers, civil servants, bus drivers and security guards are going on strike. Hundreds of thousands of workers are going on strike in a dispute for better pay and working conditions. [Thousands of teachers](https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/national/uk-today/23289332.teacher-strikes-send-child-school/) in England and Wales will strike after the National Education Union (NEU) announced seven days of action over the next two months.

Teachers, train drivers and civil servants will be among hundreds of thousands of workers expected to walk-out on Wednesday as their arguments for wage ...

The NEU's joint general secretary, Kevin Courtney, said he and his members "sincerely regret" the impact this will cause to a child's education and routine, but warned: "We're pointing to disruption that is happening every day in schools. Liverpool City Council is expecting 38% of schools to be closed, with 54% only partially open, based on returns from 130 of around 160 schools in the city. Downing Street has conceded that today's mass strike action will be "very difficult" for the public. Hundreds of thousands of workers are going on strike, in what will be the biggest day of industrial action for more than a decade. Train drivers from the RMT and Aslef unions are also staging another strike as a long-running dispute over pay and conditions rumbles on - with university lecturers and bus drivers taking action too. Teachers in England and Wales who are members of the National Education Union are set to stage walkouts - affecting 23,000 schools.

Teachers in the National Education Union - and support staff in Wales - are striking over pay.

Most teachers in Northern Ireland will walk out for half a day on 21 February. You can also make contact in the following ways: Most state school teachers in England and Wales had a 5% pay rise in 2022. Please include your name, age and location. In Scotland, teachers rejected a 5% increase. "We'll ensure that the children do catch up," she said. They're already so far behind." Teachers have already been on a national strike in Scotland and action is continuing on a rolling basis. In Wales, striking teachers were joined by support staff, while members of the National Association of Head Teachers took action short of a strike. Teachers in England and Wales were among thousands of workers taking action during what was said to be the biggest strike day for a decade. [The Daily Mail](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11703119/Rishi-Sunak-step-new-law-stop-school-strike-mayhem.html), quoting a government source, said ministers could choose to "act" and change the law in a bid to give schools time to put contingency plans in place on strike days. Department for Education estimates on school closures released on the day were based on attendance data from 77% (16,400) of state-funded primary and secondary schools in England.

Teachers who are members of the National Education Union are expected to strike across the country, leaving many schools in Bournemouth, Poole, Weymouth and ...

We dorecognise the disruption that this causes and appreciate your understanding. - Hillview Primary - Winton Primary - Kingsleigh Primary So the message to the Government is that this is not going to go away, these problems won’t magically disappear. "It's not just about pay. She said: The folk singer made a surprise appearance at the picket line at St Osmund’s Middle School in Dorchester on Wednesday morning (February 1) before he travelled to Crowds sang along with Billy as passing motorists sounded their horns in solidarity with striking workers. However, teachers at your local school going on strike does not necessarily mean kids must stay at home. Of these seven days, four are likely to affect Teachers will be demonstrating in Weymouth and Bournemouth today.

Paul Nowak suggested a 'Cabinet full of millionaires' may not fully understand how the rising cost of living is affecting ordinary workers.

“I don’t think our members can afford another real terms pay cut,” he said. It’s been months now and still the Government hasn’t sat down and seriously talked about a real pay rise for our public sector workers. “The way to resolve these strikes, which is good for workers, which is good for public services and good for the country as a whole, is for the Government to come to the table, put more resource on the table, and deliver a real pay rise for public sector workers.”

Keir Starmer accuses Rishi Sunak of being 'too weak' to act over allegations against Dominic Raab. Quoting from the Mirror report (see 10.31am) that details ...

South Wales police has said it is investigating “the origins of abusive and grossly offensive social media messages” sent to the Labour MP Alex Davies-Jones. Commenting on reports that the customs part of the deal has been agreed (see 10.09am), the PM’s spokesperson told reporters: Over eighteen months ago we outlined the parameters for the way forward. It has concluded that this system amounts to apartheid. Referring to today’s report in the Times saying a customs deal has been agreed (see 10.09am), he said: That led to the situation that we’re now in, they shouldn’t make the same mistake a second time. That is the only basis on which these institutions can operate effectively. as Labour MPs have done so for over a 100 years.” Downing Street has refused to deny that Rishi Sunak was informally warned about Dominic Raab’s treatment of officials before he appointed him as justice secretary and deputy prime minister. They are fighting for us all.” The argument that this would provoke Russia was no longer relevant, he suggested. This is from the BBC’s Alex Partridge.

Within education, teachers and university lecturers will be striking on various dates across the month, while the NHS will be affected by strikes from nurses, ...

A major march of striking teachers has been seen in central London, as educators say they are worried about the future of schools in England. Physics teacher ...

We know that head teachers and other school leaders have been working really hard to keep schools open for as many kids as possible." [Strikes](https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/strikes) by up to half-a-million workers across the UK in bitter disputes over pay, jobs and conditions are set to take place this week. Obviously there is a lot of strike action today but this strike did not need to go ahead," she said. “We are the working-class, and we are back. These strikes will have a significant impact on children’s education, especially following the disruption of the past two years, and are creating huge uncertainty for parents. James Hibbard, a head of year at Myton School in Warwick, said: "I think we’ll be back on the 28th. “You really feel undervalued, and you feel like the government isn’t supporting you, when we’re trying to make the world a better place.” “Subjects are struggling to attract new teachers, but more importantly in my opinion, is actually a fact that when people start it is very unlikely they are going to last for very long. We will not be divided on the basis of our belief, or the colour of our skin, or the part of the country we are from. Starmer said: "After 13 years in power, trying to blame the Labour Party for his failure to sort out the strikes is rank pathetic. "There’s no money to get more teaching assistants and LSAs (Learning Support Assistants) into schools at the moment. We will not be divided on the basis of who we work for.

Wednesday's is the biggest teachers' strike in 15 years, as staff across England and Wales walk out in co-ordinated national action.

[The industrial action](https://inews.co.uk/news/education/teachers-strike-dates-2023-when-school-strikes-planned-february-neu-staff-striking-2112619?ico=in-line_link) will be a mixture of national and regional walkouts, with strikes set to take place on the following days: However, the NEU’s ballot of support staff in schools and sixth-form colleges in England did not achieve the 50 per cent ballot turnout required by law for successful strike action. Scotland’s Education Secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville, said: “It is disappointing that the EIS has proceeded to escalate industrial action. [biggest teachers’ strike in 15 years](https://inews.co.uk/news/education/teacher-strikes-wednesday-unions-gillian-keegan-squandering-talks-2116922?ico=in-line_link), as staff across England and Wales walk out in co-ordinated national action. “I think we’ve seen as I’ve said a couple of years has been really tough for kids. [Hundreds of thousands of workers](https://inews.co.uk/news/strikes-live-teachers-rail-civil-servants-mass-walk-out-2120350?ico=in-line_link) are [on strike today](https://inews.co.uk/news/who-on-strike-tomorrow-planned-uk-strikes-train-schools-2118225?ico=in-line_link) in what is the biggest day of industrial action in more than a decade. “The minister brought no proposals whatsoever to the table. Unions are battling for [better pay for their members](https://inews.co.uk/news/workers-get-paid-when-strike-what-mean-strikers-why-striking-2026055?ico=in-line_link) amid [the cost of living crisis](https://inews.co.uk/news/consumer/cost-of-living-payments-col-support-2023-who-eligible-900-payment-2040286?ico=in-line_link), with inflation now around 10 per cent. “Recent discussions have been constructive. Your school should have contacted parents and guardians informing them of plans for strike days. If large numbers of staff strike, schools may need to restrict attendance for some pupils.” This has prompted many schools to use Wednesday as a litmus test for whether they can remain open on future strike days.

Rail strikes have already cost hospitality businesses around £2.5 billion in lost revenue since last summer, Nicholls added. Strike Wipes Out London Restaurant ...

Up to half a million British teachers, civil servants, and train drivers walked out over pay in the largest coordinated strike action for a decade on ...

"This government should be ashamed of the way they are managing things," she said. "They're all currently around me while I'm sending emails," she said. Register for free to Reuters and know the full story "They are saying, very reluctantly, that enough is enough and that things have to change." So far the economy has not taken a major hit from the industrial action, with the cost of strikes in the eight months to January estimated by the Centre for Economics and Business Research at about 1.7 billion pounds ($2.09 billion), or about 0.1% of expected GDP. LONDON, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Up to half a million British teachers, civil servants, and train drivers walked out over pay in the largest coordinated strike action for a decade on Wednesday, with unions threatening more disruption as the government digs its heels in over pay demands.

Train driver members of Aslef and the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) are among those striking. GWR said an "extremely limited service" would operate ...

On Thursday and Saturday, GWR said trains would run as planned with some minor changes to the very first and late-night services, and urged passengers to check before travelling. The only routes served by GWR trains in Devon and Cornwall on Wednesday and Friday are between Exeter St David's and Exmouth and Paignton; between Plymouth and Gunnislake; and between Penzance and St Ives. CrossCountry will not run any services on Wednesday or Friday but said normal service was expected on Thursday and Saturday.

It means 3.2 million pupils were at home today because of strikes if attendance data from 3300 schools is extrapolated nationally.

Thirty per cent of students were marked as absent due to strike action. A survey of 948 headteachers by school leaders’ union ASCL found 97 per cent reporting teachers were on strike today. Nearly 30 per cent reported more than half of students were at home.

Some 51.7% of state-funded schools were partially closed or closed due to teacher strikes on Wednesday, according to government figures · Up to 500,000 workers ...

In Scotland, teachers have rejected both a 5% increase and a more recent offer of up to 6.85%. Up to half a million people are taking part in various strikes today. Most state-school teachers in England and Wales had a 5% rise in 2022. There are those within the trade union movement who would like today to be a day of shock and awe. People of colour tend to have more insecure jobs, especially in public sector roles like paramedics or social carers. Liv "thinks she's having a wonderful day off" but it's not been easy for Alison to juggle work and childcare. "We are here, demanding change... If the public feels merely irritation and inconvenience, is the government really going to feel compelled to act? This is not 1979 when bodies went unburied and the rubbish piled up. Here are some key dates for February: That’s why seven trade unions chose to synchronise their strikes today affecting schools, trains, government departments, buses and universities. A snap poll by the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) of 948 headteachers and principals in England and Wales suggests the vast majority of schools have been affected by the first day of walkouts by teachers

Today is the biggest day of industrial action in more than a decade as school teachers, train drivers, civil servants and university lecturers strike.

In a message to parents, Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the NEU, said: “The strike will disrupt their child’s education and we regret that, and it will disrupt their home life and their work life and we regret that. Thousands of Environment Agency workers are also expected to strike on February 8 in a dispute over pay. It comes as fresh strikes have been announced for later this month, with thousands of ambulance workers across five services in England set to take action on February 10 in a long-running dispute over pay and staffing. [more than 100,000 teachers take action](https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/national/uk-today/23289332.teacher-strikes-send-child-school/) in a dispute over pay, come on the same day that university lecturers, train drivers, civil servants, bus drivers and security guards are going on strike. Hundreds of thousands of workers are going on strike in a dispute for better pay and working conditions. [Thousands of teachers](https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/national/uk-today/23289332.teacher-strikes-send-child-school/) in England and Wales will strike after the National Education Union (NEU) announced seven days of action over the next two months.

Little prospect of breakthrough as strikes hit schools, trains, universities and border posts.

We have to balance that against the need to be fair to all taxpayers, the majority of whom don’t work for the public sector.” The RMT and Aslef rail unions held the first of two days of strike action on Wednesday, causing widespread disruption to train travel. “I am clear that our children’s education is precious, and they deserve to be in school today being taught.” “When it comes to teachers, we’ve actually given teachers the highest pay rise in 30 years, that includes a 9% pay rise for newly qualified teachers and record investment in their training and development,” he said. Lots of first-time strikers, and a real sense from many of them that they felt quite empowered.” The DfE defined a school as being “fully open” if 90% of its pupils were either present, absent for unauthorised reasons or ill.