Christmas chaos warning with train workers, nurses and civil servants all set to strike in ‘winter of discontent’
BRITAIN faces a bleak winter of chaos after 100,000 civil servants yesterday voted to join other frontline industries going on strike.
Militant union bosses last night braced the country for a “prolonged programme of industrial action reaching into every corner of public life”.
Fresh rail strikes were also called in another blow to weekend shoppers and football fans travelling to Saturday games.
Widespread walkouts have already been balloted by nurses, postmen and bus drivers in a ruthless bid to extract more generous pay offers.
More mayhem was triggered yesterday when 100,000 members of the Public and Commercial Services union voted to strike.
It will affect services at 126 employers including Jobcentre staff, driving test examiners and border force officials.
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The union has demanded ministers stump up a ten per cent pay rise as well as provide pension and redundancy security.
General Secretary Mark Serwotka warned his members have “reached the end of their tethers”.
He said: “Our members have spoken and if the Government fails to listen to them, we’ll have no option but to launch a prolonged programme of industrial action reaching into every corner of public life.”
But Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride said their proposals were “regrettably neither reasonable nor affordable”.
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Rail passengers will be hit by another weekend of travel chaos as drivers from 12 train operators walk out on Saturday, November 26.
The Aslef union said it was still waiting for a pay offer from employers in a long-running dispute.
Union boss Mick Whelan said: “We regret that passengers will be inconvenienced for another day.
“We don’t want to be taking this action.”
Rail Minister Huw Merriman last night fuelled hopes of a breakthrough by insisting the Government has “changed the tone” and does not want to “make a political issue” of the strikes.
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But Tory MP Greg Smith, who sits on the Transport Select Committee, said: “When will the militant unions get the message?
“Their strike actions are driving people away from the railways.”
Kate Nicholls, chief executive at UK Hospitality, last night said: “The announcement of yet more strikes and travel disruptions spells misery and chaos for customers – denting confidence and hitting city centre businesses hard.”