Who’s on strike today and how will it affect you? Daily update for February 24
February has been cruel to us all. The wave of industrial action that has been disrupting key services across Britain since December continued throughout the month.
With a resolution not on the cards, it is expected to escalate into March and even beyond.
Today is another busy day, with thousands of workers rushing to picket lines over pay and working conditions.
So, who is on strike and how could this affect you?
Ambulance, health and social care workers
Around 4,000 health and social care workers across Northern Ireland, represented by Unite, are striking today.
They are fighting for a fair pay rise and urgent action to avert what the union has described as an ‘existential crisis’ in the service.
Members will be picketing outside a number of hospitals across from early in the morning – a sight that many patients are now growing used to.
It follows ballot across all five health trusts and the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, which returned an average 87% vote in favour.
Elsewhere in the health sector, Northern Ireland Ambulance Service will also be taking industrial action over pay and fears the service is deteriorating.
It is part of their second round of the 48-hour strikes.
Unite’s lead regional officer for health in Northern Ireland, Kevin McAdam, said: ‘Nobody should be in any doubt regarding our members’ determination to defend their living standards amid an unprecedented cost of living crisis.
‘Our members will be joining members of other health trade unions on the picket lines tomorrow and, unless sense prevails and our members are made a better offer, there will be a second day of strike action.’
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
Civil servants at the (DWP) continue their strike action this week at universal credit centres in Liverpool.
This includes staff at Toxteth Jobcentre, Duke Street Jobcentre, City Jobcentre and Innovation Park Jobcentre.
But the action will not stop there, however, and will continue for another week.
Friday, March 3, is expected to be the last day for the DWP strikes, but more could be announced.
The PCS says the action is a ‘response to the lack of movement from the government on their demands on pay, pensions and job security’.
It comes after the government announced plans to close more than 40 offices, putting jobs on the line with workers facing the risk of redundancy.
Driving examiners
PCS members who work for the DVLA in the output services Group at Ty Felin and Morriston, in Swansea, continue their strike action.
They are striking over pay, pensions, jobs and redundancy terms.
The DVLA action will also continue into the first week of March, including several other days spread out through the month.
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