Britain is bracing for further industrial action this summer as junior doctors belonging to the British Medical Association (BMA) stage further walkouts and the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) introduces new strike dates, bringing yet more disruption to rail services.
Senior doctors are also downing stethoscopes and Aslef is also taking “action short of a strike” by announcing overtime bans, which is likely to result in the cancellation of further trains relied upon by beleaguered commuters.
Months of negotiations between the government and unions representing workers in public-facing professions have failed to yield a solution to ongoing disputes over pay and working conditions in a number of sectors, leaving the NHS with little choice but to cancel routine appointments and treatments and travellers stranded on platforms.
Recent rail strikes in late May and early June made life difficult for parents in half-term week and for those attending specific summer events such as the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool, the FA Cup Final in London and the Epsom Derby, as trainline employees and station staff sought to demonstrate the importance of the services they provide.
And those were only the latest instances of industrial action bringing the UK to a halt after a long winter in which thousands of public sector workers took to the picket line.
From nurses and teachers to civil servants, postal workers and driving instructors, working people have demanded salary increases in response to the sky-high rate of inflation and the ongoing cost of living crisis.
While some of those disputes have since been resolved, many more threaten to rumble on amid little sign of progress.
Dr Robert Laurenson and Dr Vivek Trivedi, co-chairs of the BMA, have urged Rishi Sunak’s administration to come forward with a fresh offer above the 5 per cent wage rise proposed so far to prevent what promises to be “the longest single walkout by doctors in the NHS’s history”.
“Even now the government can avert our action by coming to the table with a credible offer on pay restoration,” they said.
But common ground appears likely to remain elusive after health secretary Steve Barclay accused the BMA of “walking away” from the table.
RMT general-sectretary Mick Lynch has meanwhile told The Independent that further rail strikes are “fairly likely”this year so long as its talks with government negotiators remain in a state of deadlock.
Here is a list of all of the major walkouts that have been announced so far for July and August 2023.
All the national strike dates for July and August
Monday 3 July
Aslef train drivers’ union begins a six-day overtime ban for members.
Tuesday 4 July
Aslef overtime ban in effect.
Wednesday 5 July
Teachers in England belonging to the National Education Union (NEU) stage the first of two days of strike action.
Aslef overtime ban in effect.
Thursday 6 July
Aslef overtime ban in effect.
Friday 7 July
Teachers in England belonging to the NEU stage the second of two days of strike action.
Aslef overtime ban in effect.
Saturday 8 July
Final day of Aslef overtime ban.
Wednesday 12 July
NHS juniors doctors belonging to BMA in Scotland on strike.
Thursday 13 July
Five-day strike by junior doctors belonging to the BMA in England begins at 7am.
Friday 14 July
Junior doctors’ strike continues.
NHS ambulance drivers belonging to Unite on strike in Yorkshire.
Saturday 15 July
Junior doctors’ strike continues.
Sunday 16 July
Junior doctors’ strike continues.
Monday 17 July
Junior doctors’ strike continues.
Aslef overtime ban resumes for another six days.
Tuesday 18 July
Junior doctors’ strike concludes at 7am.
Aslef overtime ban in effect.
Wednesday 19 July
Aslef overtime ban in effect.
Thursday 20 July
Rail workers belonging to the RMT stage the first of three days of national strike action.
Senior doctors belonging to the BMA stage the first of two days of strike action.
Aslef overtime ban in effect.
Friday 21 July
Senior doctor’s stage the second of two days of strike action.
Aslef overtime ban in effect.
Saturday 22 July
RMT members stage the second of three days of national rail strike action.
Aslef overtime ban concludes.
Saturday 29 July
RMT members stage the third of three days of national rail strike action.
Friday 11 August
NHS junior doctors commence latest round of nationwide strikes.
Saturday 12 August
NHS junior doctors strikes continue.
Sunday 13 August
NHS junior doctors strikes continue.
Monday 14 August
NHS junior doctors strikes conclude.
Thursday 24 August
NHS senior doctors commence latest round of nationwide strikes.
Friday 25 August
NHS senior doctors strikes conclude.
