Strikes cruelly timed: UK to rope in army for emergency services

London, December 18

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British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Sunday hit out at trade unions for causing misery for millions with “particularly cruelly timed” strikes over the Christmas holiday period as the government announced plans to use around 1,200 troops to cover for striking ambulance drivers and border staff as multiple public sector unions walk off the job in the week before Christmas.

X-mas time strikes

• Wave of winter strikes planned over the course of the next few weeks, including railway workers, healthcare workers, and border security staff
• Communication Workers Union to go on strike on December 23 and 24
• Public and Commercial Service union announced that Civil Service industrial action in late December will impact Border Force services
• More than 40,000 members of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers went on strike

There is a wave of winter strikes planned over the course of the next few weeks, including railway workers, healthcare workers, and border security staff, who are all demanding better pay and working conditions.

Writing in “The Sun on Sunday”, Sunak said the workers have been offered “deals that are fair and affordable” and accused the unions of unleashing a “class war”. “The unions are causing misery for millions, with transport strikes in particular cruelly timed to hit at Christmas,” added Sunak.

“Rail workers and border officers have been offered deals that are fair – and affordable to taxpayers. An increasing number of union members want a deal. They are tired of being foot soldiers in [Railway RMT Union chief] Mick Lynch’s class war,” he said.

The government has repeatedly warned that giving in to union demands for massive pay rises will kick Britain into an “inflation spiral”, which in turn would hit the poorest the hardest.

“Even (Opposition) Labour have admitted the unions’ demands are unaffordable. But they’ll still take union money and undermine the interests of the travelling public. Labour back the Grinches that want to steal Christmas for their own political ends. We are doing everything we can to ensure people get the Christmas they deserve,” said Sunak.