Because the nation braces itself for a month of chaos amid impending rail strikes, staff have discovered some solace no less than in having the ability to work at home and never step foot within the workplace once more till the New Yr.
Moderately than despair over the worst spell of unrest for many years amid walkouts deliberate by rail staff, nurses, ambulance workers, postal staff and airport workers amongst others over pay and the impacts of inflation and the cost-of-living disaster, many have taken to social media to really have a good time not having to do the every day commute for the following month.
Community Rail has warned that companies can be restricted, overcrowded or cancelled till no less than January 8 as RMT union members strike for 11 days over the vacation season.
Moderately than despair over the worst spell of unrest for many years amid strikes deliberate by rail staff over pay and situations, many social media customers are celebrating not having to do the every day commute for the following month, amid warnings trains can be disrupted till January 8
One Twitter person described the scenario as ‘a dream’, whereas @Ohheyphilz stated: ‘Prepare strikes just about all week subsequent week which means I can go in as soon as then it is wfh until the brand new yr.’
In the meantime @just-laus jested that ‘WFH is harmful, I have never left the home since Monday and from trying on the frost outdoors now, I will not be leaving at the moment both!’
Additionally not lamenting the scenario, @woolers1972 wrote: ‘The trains have at all times been terrible. Lengthy earlier than the strikes. I gave up commuting some time in the past as a result of the journey to and from work on the trains was the worst, most demanding a part of my day.
‘Most individuals can simply work at home now so strikes are the the issue they as soon as had been.’
Based on the most recent statistics from LinkedIn, one in three Londoners had been working from dwelling between January and March of this yr, equating to only beneath two million workers.
The UK additionally stays second on the planet for the variety of work-from-home roles, simply behind the US, pointing to a shift in attitudes in the direction of versatile and residential working because the pandemic.
However @lfoley54 made the purpose that not everybody has flexibility over the place they work, posting: ‘The one individuals you damage are British staff who cannot work at home’
Companies in central London may also be damage from the strikes, stated @andystock22.
‘Many outer London companies profit from strikes (sic) days, as most individuals determine to work at home. Prepare strikes are an entire catastrophe for pubs & eating places in London.’
The RMT is about to close down the railways in two 48-hour strikes from Tuesday and Friday, wrecking the plans of thousands and thousands for the weekend earlier than Christmas and costing excessive streets tons of of thousands and thousands of kilos.
Providers can be disrupted day by day for no less than a month, Community Rail warned travellers final night time.
Moreover, an unprecedented extra time ban for practice working workers, in impact from December 18 till January 2, will result in 1000’s of extra cancellations.
RMT boss Mick Lynch has {accused} the Authorities of ‘torpedoing’ pay negotiations.
However Tory MP David Jones stated: ‘The unions ought to contemplate that by going for such hefty pay settlements, they won’t solely stoke inflation but additionally make Christmas depressing at finest, and harmful at worst.’
Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt made comparable feedback in an interview with the Monetary Occasions, wherein he warned commerce unions to not jeopardise Britain’s restoration, noting that prime pay calls for will have an effect on the combat in opposition to inflation and injury the employees they’re attempting to assist.
Mr Hunt didn’t deny that ministers had blocked a attainable 10 per cent pay supply to rail staff unfold over two years.
A subsequent 8 per cent supply was instantly declined by the RMT union.
The impartial Workplace for Finances Duty believes inflation will drop to three.7 per cent within the first a part of 2024, falling from October’s 11.1 per cent.
Mr Hunt warned that this ‘very dramatic’ drop may very well be jeopardised except unions, particularly in public companies, moderated their pay calls for.
One social media person stated the chilly snap mixed with the approaching collection of practice strikes has made working from dwelling extra fascinating
Twitter person @0hheyphilz calculated they’d not must commute till the brand new yr
One other person described the scenario as ‘a dream’ as rail strikes are set to happen this week
‘If we make the fallacious selections now, we received’t have that 3.7 per cent of inflation in January or February of 2024 and it will change from being a one-off drawback to being a everlasting drawback,’ he stated.
‘We simply must be actually cautious to not conform to pay calls for which have the alternative of the supposed impact as a result of they lock in excessive inflation.’
Rail staff should not the one ones placing nonetheless. As much as 100,000 Royal Faculty of Nursing (RCN) members will stage a walkout on Thursday for the primary time within the union’s 126-year historical past, inflicting large disruption to the NHS.
As many as 15,000 operations may very well be postponed subsequent week because of the NHS walkouts. And greater than 100,000 outpatient appointments may be affected by the strikes, evaluation by The Every day Telegraph suggests.
NHS trusts had been instructed to make sure all affected sufferers are notified of the scheduling modifications by Tuesday. Later cancellations ought to solely happen in ‘distinctive circumstances.’
Hospitals had been additionally instructed to reschedule cancelled appointments as quickly as attainable. However the NHS’ notoriously lengthy ready lists have left some sceptical that they are going to be given new appointments quickly.
An insider informed The Every day Mail: ‘If there are strikes they’ll have an effect on sufferers. Many aren’t going to get the care and therapy they want. Unions ought to assume once more.’
The RMT will shut down the railways in two 48-hour strikes from Tuesday and Friday, wrecking the plans of thousands and thousands for the weekend earlier than Christmas and costing excessive streets tons of of thousands and thousands of kilos
Elsewhere, Royal Mail industrial motion has already performed havoc with the Christmas put up and it’ll proceed on Wednesday and Thursday.
Postal service bosses warned prospects that they’d simply two days to put up items second class in time for Christmas Day.
And a few Christmas playing cards will reportedly not be delivered till February, it was claimed.
Almost 100,000 nurses are set to stroll out of 76 hospitals and NHS amenities this week, forcing officers to postpone 15,000 operations
Subsequent week’s strikes may also prolong to staff at Heathrow, some bus corporations, Eurostar and Nationwide Highways.
MPs worry the ‘coordinated’ disruption will stop carers reaching the aged and power sufferers to cancel hospital appointments.
MailOnline takes a take a look at how your Christmas plans are set to be affected by the strikes
Nurses – December 15, 20
Nurses are set to stroll out of A&E and can refuse to supply therapy to most cancers sufferers for 2 days this month.
As much as 100,000 nurses will take industrial motion on Thursday, December 15, and Tuesday, December 20, in a row over pay and staffing ranges.
In a proper letter to NHS bosses, the Royal Faculty of Nursing warned it could solely decide to offering ‘life-preserving care’ on strike days. Providers which don’t meet this standards embody hospital discharges, radiotherapy and maternity companies.
The union is demanding the Authorities supply nurses a pay rise of 17.6 per cent, which has been dismissed as ‘unaffordable’ by the Prime Minister. The default place can be that nurses will stroll out of A&Es except belief bosses persuade them they can not ship a secure service with out them.
Nurses are required by regulation to keep up a minimal staffing stage to maintain sufferers secure.
Subsequently, some nurses can be exempt from the strike to supply this minimal stage of service. The precise numbers remaining on the job can be negotiated regionally between the RCN and every NHS Belief/Board.
Earlier strikes by NHS workers have led to the cancellation of non-emergency ops and appointments. In case your appointment is already scheduled for days the place motion takes place, it may very well be cancelled as a result of it’s in all probability not labeled as pressing. Whether or not a person appointment is axed or not will rely upon if the date falls on a strike motion day, and if nurses on the belief are strolling off the job.
One other issue is how lengthy the dispute between the Authorities and the union runs.
Some appointments not on strike days may additionally be delayed as a result of extra pressing procedures cancelled have to be prioritised.
The RCN handbook says nursing provision through the strike ought to be equal to the skeleton staffing for Christmas Day, though the NHS says it has well-tested procedures to restrict disruption.
Emergency nurses in A&E and intensive care will preserve working, as will district nurses who assist aged individuals in the neighborhood. Different exemptions can be negotiated at an area stage.
Ambulance staff – December 21, 28
GMB, Unite and Unison confirmed their members will stroll out from 9 of England’s ten ambulance companies, plus Wales, on December 21. The one NHS ambulance belief unaffected can be East of England. Ambulance staff represented by GMB may also strike on December 28.
The GMB members will strike on the:
- South West Ambulance Service;
- South East Coast Ambulance Service;
- North West Ambulance Service;
- South Central Ambulance Service;
- North East Ambulance Service;
- East Midlands Ambulance Service;
- West Midlands Ambulance Service;
- Welsh Ambulance Service; and
- Yorkshire Ambulance Service.
NHS ambulance trusts affected by strike motion will draw up plans detailing the variety of workers they consider they want on with a purpose to present ‘life and limb’ cowl. These can be introduced to unions with particulars more likely to be confirmed over the following week. Unions anticipate the extent of canopy requested by some trusts may very well be increased than that offered on some non-strike days, given underlying workers shortages.
Unison, Unite and GMB will agree amongst themselves which workers do and don’t work. The Military could also be introduced in to drive ambulances if wanted.
Sufferers dialling 999 could face an extended wait to get by to a name handler however calls can be diverted to different areas if essential to restrict delays.
Calls can be triaged as common, with unions pledging to answer ‘life and limb’ calls. Class one calls embody ‘life-threatening’ accidents and diseases, together with incidents the place a affected person’s coronary heart has stopped or they don’t seem to be respiration. Class two calls are ’emergency’ calls, comparable to coronary heart assaults and strokes.
These with much less essential diseases could not obtain an ambulance response and may very well be informed to make their very own method to hospital or to hunt care elsewhere.
Sufferers who depend on NHS ambulance companies to move them to hospital appointments may additionally be pressured to make various journey preparations.
Considerations have been raised that aged individuals ‘could nicely die’ if there isn’t a cowl for journeys and falls throughout ambulance strikes.
Well being Secretary Steve Barclay stated there was ‘nonetheless a query’ over whether or not ambulance companies would cowl all emergency callouts throughout strikes. He stated officers deliberate to fulfill on Thursday to debate protection of class two callouts – which cowl coronary heart assaults, strokes, epilepsy and burns.
However the minister informed Sky Information that falls tended to come back beneath a class three emergency and ‘in the meanwhile the commerce unions are saying these issues would not be coated’ however ‘the indication from the commerce unions’ is that situations comparable to coronary heart assaults can be coated.
Street upkeep – December 16-17, 22-25, 30-31, January 3-4, 6-7
PCS members engaged on England’s highways have introduced 12 days’ strike motion over Christmas and the New Yr.
The Nationwide Highways workers, who plan, design, construct, function and preserve the nation’s roads, will participate in a collection of staggered strikes from 16 December to 7 January.
The motion, which dangers bringing the street community to a standstill, will coincide with deliberate strikes by RMT members on the railways.
PCS Normal Secretary Mark Serwotka stated: ‘We all know our members’ motion might inconvenience travellers who plan to go to their relations over the festive interval, however our members have been positioned on this scenario by a authorities that will not take heed to its personal workforce.
‘With the intense cost-of-living disaster they should be paid correctly for the necessary work they do, conserving our roads working secure and free. The federal government is within the driving seat right here – it is ready to cease these strikes by placing cash on the desk.’
Bus staff – December 9-10, 15-17, 23-24
Virtually 1,000 bus drivers employed by Abellio will strike on December 9, 10, 16 and 17.
The motion will primarily have an effect on buses in south and west London. Hanging staff can be from depots in Battersea, Beddington, Hayes, Southall, Twickenham and Walworth.
Among the bus strikes have been referred to as off.
Unite stated its members, employed by Metroline, have accepted an 11% pay improve, which the union stated was a ‘vital enchancment’ on the 4% drivers had been initially supplied.
Because of the employees accepting the improved supply, the deliberate strike motion for later this month has been referred to as off.
Unite common secretary Sharon Graham stated: ‘It is a vital victory for our members at Metroline who by standing collectively and being ready to take industrial motion, have secured a tremendously improved pay supply.
‘This pay deal exemplifies how Unite’s dedication to at all times prioritise the roles, pay and situations of its members is delivering noteworthy monetary dividends.’
Unite regional officer Laura Johnson stated: ‘From the outset, Unite members had been conscious that Metroline might afford a greater pay rise than it was providing and as soon as our members introduced strike motion, contemporary negotiations had been held and an improved supply was made.’
Border Power workers – December 23-26, 28-31
Round 1,000 Border Power staff at main airports will go on strike from December 23 to 26 and 28 to 31, the Public and Business Providers (PCS) union stated.
Based on figures compiled by flight information consultants Cirium, round 2million passengers on 10,000 flights are anticipated to reach on the airports over Border Power strike interval.
RAF personnel have began coaching at Heathrow Airport to step in for placing guards.
The Border Power is accountable, on behalf of the House Workplace, for passport management checks in any respect UK airports. However RAF personnel who’re accustomed to checking journey documentation and questioning passengers will step in.
Coaching started this week, with troops seen shadowing immigration officers at Heathrow’s passenger terminals.
Army personnel are additionally anticipated to face in for placing ambulance drivers and postal staff.
It’s a part of contingency plans which have been drafted by a ‘strikes unit’ throughout the Cupboard Workplace.
House Secretary Suella Braverman has urged individuals to rethink flying round Christmas as she warned of ‘simple, critical disruption’ for 1000’s if strikes go forward.
In an interview with broadcasters, she stated: ‘It is very regrettable that they’ve made this choice to doubtlessly strike over essential instances within the run up and following Christmas because the New Yr.
‘In the event that they go forward with these strikes there can be simple, critical disruption brought on to many 1000’s of people that have vacation plans.
‘I actually wish to urge individuals who have gotten plans to journey overseas to consider carefully about their plans as a result of they might be impacted.
‘We have got plans in place that may contain, to a level, bringing in a few of our navy colleagues to assist us in quite a lot of roles.
‘In the end I am not prepared to compromise on safety on the border, that is the primary precedence.
‘Which will nicely have an adversarial affect on comfort for individuals, frankly, whether or not it is the time they’ve to attend for flights, or departures, they might be delayed on arrivals and numerous journey plans. In the end safety on the border is my primary non-negotiable precedence.’
Heathrow Airport baggage handlers – December 16 from 4am for 72 hours
Passengers at Heathrow Airport will face festive chaos after baggage handlers voted to strike on the second final Friday earlier than Christmas.
Floor handlers employed by a personal contractor on the London airport will strike in a 72-hour row over pay, as Britain prepares itself for a ‘winter of discontent’.
There can be round 350 members of Unite who work for Menzies that may stroll out from 4am on Friday December 16.
Passengers have been warned that extra journey chaos looms because the union confirmed that their motion will result in some flight disruption. It is going to come as colleges break up for Christmas and households look to flee the capital for the festive interval.
Normal secretary Sharon Graham stated: ‘Menzies must have an extended, onerous take a look at itself.
‘It is a extremely profitable firm, which has made a good pay supply to 1 group of its staff however is not ready to make an identical supply to its floor handlers.
‘Unite is completely devoted to defending its members’ jobs, pay and situations.
‘Our members at Menzies will proceed to obtain the union’s full help.’
Unite stated the bottom handlers have been supplied a flat price improve – which it branded a real-terms pay reduce.
Industrial motion at Royal Mail that has already performed havoc with the Christmas put up will proceed on Wednesday and Thursday
Royal Mail postal – December 9, 11, 14-15, 23-24
Royal Mail staff will strike on seven days in December, together with on Christmas Eve, in an extended working dispute over pay, jobs and situations.
The employees will now stroll out on December 23 and 24, along with December 1, 9, 11, 14 and 15, the Communication Employees Union stated in an announcement, exacerbating considerations that Christmas put up may very well be severely delayed.
Almost 99 per cent of CWU members voted in favour of strike motion after rejecting a 2 per cent pay deal.
‘The CWU need a negotiated settlement with Royal Mail Group and can proceed to interact the corporate to that finish,’ a spokesperson stated.
‘However these in command of Royal Mail must get up and realise we can’t permit them to destroy the livelihoods of postal staff.’
The postal service is seeking to change from a six-days-a-week letter supply service to 5, overlaying Monday to Friday solely, beneath its Common Service settlement.
The group will, nonetheless, look to keep up a seven-day parcel supply service.
Sea ports and Eurostar
The one sea port talked about within the PCS announcement setting out the placement of Border Power strikes was Newhaven, East Sussex, from the place ferry companies function to and from Dieppe, France.
However the union nonetheless has time to disclose that the walkout may also happen in Kent, affecting the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel.
That may possible trigger extreme disruption.
Eurostar isn’t affected by the Border Power walkout. However the RMT union has introduced strikes on December 16, 18, 22 and 23 for its members who’re employed as safety workers by personal contractor Mitie at London St Pancras Worldwide.
The union stated the strikes will ‘severely have an effect on’ cross-Channel practice companies. Eurostar stated ‘negotiations between Mitie and the union are ongoing’.
