Protesters at a rally outside Kings Cross station, London, as train services continue to be disrupted after the nationwide strike by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union in a dispute over pay, jobs and conditions. PA
Protesters at a rally outside Kings Cross station, London, as train services continue to be disrupted after the nationwide strike by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union in a dispute over pay, jobs and conditions. PA
Protesters at a rally outside Kings Cross station, London, as train services continue to be disrupted after the nationwide strike by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union in a dispute over pay, jobs and conditions. PA
Protesters at a rally outside Kings Cross station, London, as train services continue to be disrupted after the nationwide strike by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union in a dispute over

UK union leaders signal wave of strikes in the coming months


Neil Murphy
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Union leaders in Britain indicated that they will embark on a wave of strikes after the government offered pay increases that were below the rate of inflation.

Britain is in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis as inflation, which is at a 40-year high of 9.4 per cent, eats into workers' pay packets.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Cabinet on Tuesday signed off on pay increases of more than 5 five per cent for millions of public sector employees, an increase that which union bosses rejected as a pay cut in real terms.

The government is trying to hit a delicate balance by offering pay increases that will avert strike action but also help to curb the spiralling inflation rate.

More than one million NHS staff, including nurses, paramedics and midwives, will receive an increase of at least £1,400 ($1,678) a year, with the lowest earners to receive up to 9.3 per cent.

Under the pay proposals, dentists and doctors will get a 4.5 per cent pay rise, police 5 per cent and teachers between 5 per cent and 8.9 per cent.

One union leader warned of co-ordinated strike action in response to pay announcements by ministers.

Meanwhile, members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in England will be balloted on industrial action.

General secretary of the Trades Union Conference, Frances O’Grady, said that NHS workers had "put their lives on the line to get us through the pandemic" and that this was "no way to repay that service".

“This below-inflation award will hit morale at a time when staff are leaving in droves and staff shortages are crippling vital services", she said.

The average basic pay for nurses will increase from about £35,600 as of March 2022 to about £37,000 and the basic pay for newly qualified nurses will increase by 5.5 per cent, from £25,655 last year to £27,055.

Unison’s head of health Sara Gorton said that her members were now considering industrial action owing to the "pitiful" award, and claimed that the "majority of the public will be behind them”.

Teachers' unions are also threatening a nationwide strike, despite the announcement that the starting salary for teachers outside London will rise by 8.9 per cent to £28,000.

Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said: "Given this very poor pay proposal, we will look towards consulting our members in the autumn. This will be the largest ballot of teachers for a generation."

Over a hundred thousand Royal Mail workers are expected to go on strike in the coming weeks. Getty.
Over a hundred thousand Royal Mail workers are expected to go on strike in the coming weeks. Getty.

It comes a day after more than 115,000 postal workers at Royal Mail voted to strike over pay in what is expected to be the biggest industrial action to hit Britain this summer.

A total of 97.6 per cent of those who voted backed strikes, on a turn-out of 77 per cent, in protest at a 2 per cent pay offer, the Communication Workers Union said.

Firefighters taking strike action is a “very serious proposition”, the leader of the union in Scotland said.

The Fire Brigades Union this week rejected a 2 per cent pay increase, which the union’s Scottish secretary described as “insulting”.

It comes as firefighters across the UK tackled blazes that followed record-setting temperatures of more than 40ºC.

The soaring cost of living has already led to industrial action on Britain's railways in recent weeks.

Workers from the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union will stage a further walk-out for 24 hours on Wednesday July 27 in the bitter row over pay, jobs and conditions.

The strike will affect passengers travelling for holidays or attending events such as the women’s Euro 2022 semi-final in Milton Keynes on July 27, and the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham the following day.

Network Rail said a “very limited” timetable will be available across the country on the strike day, with about 20 per cent of services running and some parts of the country with no rail services.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “There is no cost-of-living crisis for the rich in Britain and RMT, along with other unions, will not meekly accept pay freezes.

“Britain deserves a pay rise and we will pursue our national rail dispute with a resolute determination to make sure we agree a negotiated settlement.”

The BIO

Favourite piece of music: Verdi’s Requiem. It’s awe-inspiring.

Biggest inspiration: My father, as I grew up in a house where music was constantly played on a wind-up gramophone. I had amazing music teachers in primary and secondary school who inspired me to take my music further. They encouraged me to take up music as a profession and I follow in their footsteps, encouraging others to do the same.

Favourite book: Ian McEwan’s Atonement – the ending alone knocked me for six.

Favourite holiday destination: Italy - music and opera is so much part of the life there. I love it.

UAE v Gibraltar

What: International friendly

When: 7pm kick off

Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City

Admission: Free

Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page

UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)

Groom and Two Brides

Director: Elie Semaan

Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla

Rating: 3/5

Scoreline

Al Wasl 1 (Caio Canedo 90 1')

Al Ain 2 (Ismail Ahmed 3', Marcus Berg 50')

Red cards: Ismail Ahmed (Al Ain) 77'

UAE rugby in numbers

5 - Year sponsorship deal between Hesco and Jebel Ali Dragons

700 - Dubai Hurricanes had more than 700 playing members last season between their mini and youth, men's and women's teams

Dh600,000 - Dubai Exiles' budget for pitch and court hire next season, for their rugby, netball and cricket teams

Dh1.8m - Dubai Hurricanes' overall budget for next season

Dh2.8m - Dubai Exiles’ overall budget for next season

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

The candidates

Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive

Ali Azeem, business leader

Tony Booth, professor of education

Lord Browne, former BP chief executive

Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist

Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist

Dr Mark Mann, scientist

Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner

Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister

Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster

 

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl

Power: 153hp at 6,000rpm

Torque: 200Nm at 4,000rpm

Transmission: 6-speed auto

Price: Dh99,000

On sale: now

The Vile

Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah

Director: Majid Al Ansari

Rating: 4/5

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KEY%20DATES%20IN%20AMAZON'S%20HISTORY
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Profile

Name: Carzaty

Founders: Marwan Chaar and Hassan Jaffar

Launched: 2017

Employees: 22

Based: Dubai and Muscat

Sector: Automobile retail

Funding to date: $5.5 million

TALE OF THE TAPE

Floyd Mayweather

  • Height 
  • Weight
  • Reach
  • Record

Conor McGregor

  • Height 
  • Weight
  • Reach
  • Record
Moon Music

Artist: Coldplay

Label: Parlophone/Atlantic

Number of tracks: 10

Rating: 3/5

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha

Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar

Director: Neeraj Pandey

Rating: 2.5/5

TOUR RESULTS AND FIXTURES

June 3: NZ Provincial Barbarians 7 Lions 13
June 7: Blues 22 Lions 16
June 10: Crusaders 3 Lions 12
June 13: Highlanders 23 Lions 22
June 17: Maori All Blacks 10 Lions 32
June 20: Chiefs 6 Lions 34
June 24: New Zealand 30 Lions 15 (First Test)
June 27: Hurricanes 31 Lions 31
July 1: New Zealand 21 Lions 24 (Second Test)
July 8: New Zealand v Lions (Third Test) - kick-off 11.30am (UAE)

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFixtures%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3ESaturday%2C%20May%2028%2C%20United%20States%20v%20Scotland%3Cbr%3ESunday%2C%20May%2029%2C%20United%20States%20v%20Scotland%3Cbr%3ETuesday%2C%20May%2031%2C%20UAE%20v%20Scotland%3Cbr%3EWednesday%2C%20June%201%2C%20UAE%20v%20United%20States%3Cbr%3EFriday%2C%20June%203%2C%20UAE%20v%20Scotland%3Cbr%3ESaturday%2C%20June%204%2C%20UAE%20v%20United%20States%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20squad%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAhmed%20Raza%20(captain)%2C%20Chirag%20Suri%2C%20Muhammad%20Waseem%2C%20Vriitya%20Aravind%2C%20CP%20Rizwan%2C%20Basil%20Hameed%2C%20Rohan%20Mustafa%2C%20Kashif%20Daud%2C%20Karthik%20Meiyappan%2C%20Zahoor%20Khan%2C%20Junaid%20Siddique%2C%20Alishan%20Sharafu%2C%20Akif%20Raja%2C%20Rahul%20Bhatia%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETable%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3E1.%20Oman%2032%2019%2011%2040%20%2B0.156%3Cbr%3E2.%20Scotland%2016%2011%203%2024%20%2B0.574%3Cbr%3E3.%20UAE%2018%2010%206%2022%20%2B0.22%3Cbr%3E4.%20Namibia%2014%207%207%2014%20%2B0.096%3Cbr%3E5.%20United%20States%2016%207%209%2014%20-0.229%3Cbr%3E6.%20Nepal%2012%206%206%2012%20%2B0.113%3Cbr%3E7.%20Papua%20New%20Guinea%2020%201%2019%202%20-0.856%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn

Price, base / as tested: Dhxxx
Engine: 5.7L V8
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 395hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 556Nm @ 3,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km

Desert Warrior

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Rating: 3/5

Updated: July 20, 2022, 12:42 PM