National Highways employees latest to strike in month of misery in the UK

The Public and Commercial Services union said the dispute could be resolved today if the government put more money on the table

National Highways workers will go on strike from Thursday until Christmas Day. PA

First it was rail workers, then royal mail employees, nurses and paramedics — and now, motorway workers will go on strike, threatening chaos on UK roads shortly before Christmas starts.

National Highways workers will go on strike from Thursday until Christmas Day in the latest phase of action by the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS).

The four-day walkout by workers who plan, design, build, operate and maintain the roads in London and south-east England follows action by colleagues in Yorkshire and Humber, as well as north-west and north-east England.

PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: “We're aware our action is likely to inconvenience travellers but, even as we escalate it ahead of Christmas, we remind people this dispute could be resolved today if the government puts more money on the table.

“Our members are telling us they have to cut back their spending at Christmas time because they are running out of money. They have been offered a below-inflation pay award, at a time when inflation is higher than 10 per cent.”

About 20 million trips will be made by car to see friends and family in the run up to Christmas Eve, according to RAC.

And about 40 per cent of those journeys will take place on Friday, December 23, and Saturday, December 24.

It comes as new analysis shows drivers are being hit by record Christmas getaway fuel prices.

The RAC said motorists are being “heartlessly overcharged” as the average price of a litre of petrol is around 153p, with diesel at 176p.

Compared with the days leading up to Christmas 2021 — which was previously the most expensive for drivers — current prices are 7p higher for petrol and 27p more for diesel.

The millions of motorists embarking on journeys this week to spend the festive period with loved ones are paying an extra £20 to fill up a typical 55-litre family car with petrol and £31 for diesel than they did two years ago.

The National Highways strikes will escalate further on December 30 when PCS members across the traffic officer service in the West Midlands and south-west England embark on their protest action and on January 6 when it reaches the East Midlands and eastern England.

In addition, all PCS members in National Highways, working for the traffic officer service, will join in on January 3 and 4.

PCS has served a formal notice to the Department for Work and Pensions of an extended strike in parts of the department in the first week of January as part of its national campaign.

Meanwhile the government could fast-track an NHS pay rise next year after 48 hours of historic strikes by nurses and paramedics, according to reports.

It comes after unions and ministers remained in stalemate over pay negotiations on Wednesday night.

NHS Providers warned the strikes would have a knock-on effect on appointments and said it expected a return to “very high numbers” of emergency calls in the coming days.

The number of people phoning 999 appeared to have dropped in some parts of England on Wednesday and the membership organisation for NHS hospital, mental health, community and ambulance services said there had been “varying levels of disruption” across the country.

NHS Providers also said some demand had shifted to other services or not materialised as expected.

UK strikes — in pictures

Passengers view departure boards at Kings Cross station in London on Wednesday, during a strike by the Rail, Maritime and Transport union. PA

Members of the Communication Workers Union on the picket line in Whitechapel, East London, as Royal Mail workers strike over jobs, pay and conditions. PA

Royal Mail delivery lorries parked idle in the Whitechapel delivery depot. PA

Mick Lynch, centre, general secretary of the RMT union, joins members on the picket line outside Euston station in London. PA

CWU members on the picket line in Whitechapel. PA

Empty platforms at Paddington station in London. PA

The RMT picket line at Euston station. PA

But the organisation said demand for care across the whole healthcare system remained high and trust leaders were reporting continuing delays to ambulance services and overcrowding at some accident and emergency departments.

The Telegraph said a source close to Health Secretary Steve Barclay — who was criticised by unions for suggesting striking health workers had “made a conscious choice to inflict harm on patients” — revealed he was keen to “speed up the process” to give NHS staff a pay rise early next year to break the deadlock.

Unions have said they expect NHS workers to be offered a 2 per cent increase next year, based on a letter sent by Mr Barclay last month to the NHS Pay Review Body.

At least 11,509 staff were absent from work across England during strikes by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) on Tuesday, and 13,797 appointments and procedures had to be rescheduled, according to NHS England.

Thousands of ambulance workers embarked on a protest action on Wednesday, with members of the military stepping in to take their place and trusts telling patients only to call 999 in the case of a life-threatening emergency.

The next ambulance strike is due to take place on December 28.

Workers across several other industries are also set to strike in the build-up to Christmas.

On Thursday, strikes will be held by Unite members working for Highlands and Islands Airports, and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) in the North West, Yorkshire and Humber and North Wales.

Unison workers at the Environment Agency will refuse to provide on-call cover for unexpected incidents, and Rural Payments Agency staff will continue their walkout.

On Friday, the National Highways and DVSA strikes are expected to continue, while Royal Mail workers will begin a two-day national stoppage.

Christmas Eve will bring strikes from RMT railway workers from 6pm, and London bus workers at Abellio.