4th January, 2023

With many industries up and down the UK facing strike action, we know that it can be hard to keep up with everything that’s going on. So, we’ve rounded up confirmed strikes that will be taking place this month and how they could affect you…

Thanks to inflation and soaring energy bills leading to a cost-of-living crisis, many of us have experienced difficulties in 2022. As a result, unions representing workers from various public sector industries across the UK are undergoing strike action as they call for pay rises and better working conditions.

Rail strikes: 3rd - 7th January

The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, as well as the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF) union, have been striking since yesterday, Tuesday 3rd January, through to Saturday 7th January.

This strike, which is focused on improving pay and employment conditions will affect many across the UK and, as a result, people are being advised to avoid travelling between these dates.

If you have no choice but to attempt to travel, make sure to carefully plan your journey and give yourself plenty of time - more than you usually would - to get to your destination.

Fewer services will be running across these dates and cancellations are highly likely, so don’t forget to regularly check that your service is still running.

Bus drivers strikes (London): 4th, 5th, 10th, 12th, 16th, 19th, 25th and 26th January

Further travel disruption will take place in south and west London this month as Abellio bus drivers are striking across various dates over fair pay disputes.

Two of these dates, the 4th and 5th, are also when rail strikes are taking place, which will inevitably cause more issues for those looking to travel in the affected areas on those dates.

People are being advised the same here as with train strikes: avoid travel where possible, but if not then carefully plan your journeys, allow yourself extra time and regularly check for service cancellations.

Nurses strikes: 18th - 19th January

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) will carry out strike action over two days this month – the 18th and 19th. This strike will be taking place due to calls for a pay increase that keeps up with rising costs of living, as well as concerns over patient safety.

Many fear that the nurses are not only underpaid, but also understaffed, which can lead to unsafe staffing levels and therefore unsafe patients. Without the nursing staff to treat them, those in need of medical help risk incredibly high waiting times both in A&E and on hospital wards. Sadly, in the worst-case scenario, this could result in someone not getting the help that they need in time.

As a result of these strikes, hospitals across England will undoubtedly be under immense pressure. We can all do our bit by only visiting the hospital if we absolutely need to, in order for those in emergency situations to be prioritised.

If you’re unsure whether or not you should visit the hospital, click here for a helpful guide to choosing the right medical service.

Ambulance driver strikes: 11th and 23rd January

Some ambulance drivers will be striking for two days this month on the 11th and 23rd, affecting services in London, Yorkshire, the north-west, north-east and south-west.

Much like nurses, this strike is taking place following calls for pay rises that are above the rate of inflation.

While these strikes are only taking place on non-life-threatening calls, it is unfortunately anticipated that this will put even more pressure on emergency care which means those in life-threatening situations could be waiting even longer to receive the help that they need.

Again, if you’re unsure whether or not to call for an ambulance, please feel free to refer to the guide above.

Driving examiner strikes: 4th – 10th January

A number of driving examiners who are part of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union will be undergoing strike action from January 4th to the 10th, over fair pay and pensions, plus terms of employment and redundancy.

This strike action could affect many driving tests in Wales, London and south-east and south-west England. If you live in any of the specified areas and want to rearrange your driving test, you can give three working days’ notice to do so, otherwise you risk having to pay for the test again.

If you decide not to rearrange your test, then you should still go to your appointment unless the DVSA contacts you to inform you otherwise. If your test is then cancelled due to the strike action, DVSA will automatically rebook and send the new details for you.

These strikes won’t affect theory tests or tests with private providers.

For full details on which test centres are expected to be affected as a result of the strikes, you can refer to the GOV website.

Teachers strikes (Scotland): 10th – 11th January

Teachers in Scotland will be striking over two days on the 10th and 11th of January, following the rejection of a 6.85% increase for the lowest paid.

At the moment this strike action is just affecting schools in Scotland, but ballots are currently taking place throughout England and Wales over pay, so it’s possible that further strikes throughout the UK could shortly be announced.

It’s inevitable that many of us will be affected by the ongoing strike action, so it’s important to remain updated on what’s happening and how you can best avoid disruption. Various news outlets are providing daily updates, even ‘strike calendars’, so do make use of the resources available whilst we all try to navigate these trying times.


Written by: Shannan Errington

*Please note that the above information has been gathered through secondary research. The information provided is not based on our opinion. You should seek further guidance and information before making an informed decision.

Sources:
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/all-strikes-january-2023_uk_63ac4c96e4b0fe267ca5e826
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/driving-examiner-strike-december-2022-and-january-2023#:~:text=Some%20driving%20examiners%20who%20are,pensions%2C%20jobs%20and%20redundancy%20terms
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/uk-strike-dates-trains-bus-drivers-january-2023-b2255597.html
https://www.rcn.org.uk/Get-Involved/Campaign-with-us/Fair-Pay-for-Nursing