UK teachers, univ. staff, postal workers go on strike

Britons have been witnessing more strikes in various sectors across the country causing disruptions in people’s livelihoods amid rising inflation and the cost-of-living crisis as the nation approaches Christmas.

According to Press TV, over 70-thousand postal workers as well as university staff and teachers walked out of their jobs in Scotland and England on Thursday.

The UK workers are demanding better pay and working conditions. The University and College Union, which called for the latest industrial action, said the three-day strike is the biggest in the history of higher education.

In Scotland, unions asked members to close schools in an unprecedented move after months of negotiations failed to yield a satisfactory pay agreement. The unions warned of more strikes and widespread disruption in the run-up to Christmas.

The University and College Union (UCU) said on Tuesday that “disruption can be avoided if employers act fast and make improved offers. If they don’t, strike action will escalate in the new year alongside a marking and assessment boycott.”

Various sectors in society, ranging from education, transportation, and the postal to legal services, as well as ports and telecommunications, have gone on strikes in Britain since the summer.

British rail workers staged several strikes this year, including the country's biggest rail strike in decades during the summer, over demands for better pay amid the cost-of-living crisis.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) Union General Secretary, Mick Lynch, tweeted Wednesday that strikes can be avoided if leaders acted promptly.

"This latest round of strikes will show how important our members are to the running of this country and will send a clear message that we want a good deal on job security, pay and conditions," Lynch said on Tuesday.

Reports on Thursday from the UK said nurses across most of Britain will next month hold the first strikes in their union's 106-year history, joining the other British workers taking industrial action over pay.

ME