UK Christmas strikes December 19: Which sector is on strike today, and how will it impact you?

Christmas and New Year's eve are about to come in the United Kingdom, but the daily strikes by workers from across the industries are affecting the lives of common people. The inflation and cost of living have drastically increased throughout the UK which has forced these workers to give a call for a strike.

Rail employees, bus drivers, health staff, and nurses have already marked their anger by protesting in the last week while driving examiners are on strike today which might impact the driving tests.

The officials have asked the public to keep checking the government’s website for the latest information.


The industry staff is staging a walkout today over bad working conditions. These staffs are demanding a pay rise and other facilities.

These strikes are majorly led by the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union over a pay rise, pensions, and job terms.

Transportation, meanwhile, is highly affected sector from the nationwide strike as the rail staff belonging to the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) union are set to be on strike from 6 pm on Christmas eve to 6 am on December 27, and then twice in the first week of January.

Another strike by Air staff starting from 4 am on December 29 for 72 hours is likely to affect six airports across the country. Around 350 baggage handlers employed by Menzies have planned a strike at Heathrow airport. Passengers travelling through Air Canada, American Airlines, Lufthansa, Swiss Air, Air Portugal, Austrian Airlines, Qantas, Egypt Air, Aer Lingus, and Finnair are supposed to be affected by the strikes.


The list of strikes moves ahead with over a thousand border force staff members belonging to the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union going on strike during these festive days, initially from 23 to 26 December, and then from 28 to 31 December.

Food delivery agents, teachers, civil servants, firefighters, junior doctors, ambulance staff, and others will be on strike in the upcoming days in the UK making it difficult for the people.

FAQs:

1. How are the strikes going to impact the train journey?
   Rail staff are set to be on strike from 6 pm on Christmas eve to 6 am on 27 December, and then twice in the first week of January.
2. Will the strikes impact the air routes too?
   Passengers travelling through Air Canada, American Airlines, Lufthansa, Swiss Air, Air Portugal, Austrian Airlines, Qantas, Egypt Air, Aer Lingus, and Finnair are supposed to be affected by the strikes.