A protester holds a sign in Brighton, England on October 20, 2022 – CARLOS JASSO / AFP
Britain’s motorways, trains and air transport are hit by strikes over the Christmas holidays. In order to prevent possible complications, the government wants to call in the army.
As the UK prepares for a strike movement over the end-of-year celebrations and the Christmas holidays, the government is not ruling out the use of the army to quell any unrest. This was confirmed on Sky News this Sunday by Nadhim Zahawi, President of the Conservative Party.
Military personnel could thus be called upon to “drive ambulances” or even be stationed at the British borders. Pharmacists, for their part, could be called to help in the face of the UK health system NHS strike. “We need to be able to provide patients with a safe level of treatment and support,” said Nadhim Zahawi.
“We are thinking about the army”
About 2,000 soldiers and officers, as well as volunteers, are being trained for various operations, including border troops in airports and ports in the event of sustained strike movement.
In a statement, 10 Downing Street said the decision on whether or not to deploy the army has not yet been decided, but that military personnel “are part of the options available if strike action in these areas goes as planned”.
“We’re looking at the army, we’re looking at a specialized strike force… a state-of-the-art capability,” explained Nadhim Zahawi.
For the leader of the Conservative Party, the end of the year celebrations are “no time to strike”. “Our message to unions is: You know, this is not the time for strikes. This is the time to try to negotiate.
A statement from Number 10 said a decision on whether or not to deploy troops has yet to be made, but that personnel are “within available options if strike action in those areas develops as intended”.
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Public service, highways, trains and traffic affected
Britain’s motorways, trains and air transport are hit by strikes over the Christmas holidays. The civil servants’ union PCS, which carries out a series of actions in various areas of public service, announced on Friday that its members on the highways between December 16 and December 7.
“We know the actions of our members may cause inconvenience to travelers looking to visit loved ones this holiday season, but they are being driven there by a government that is not listening to its own workforce,” PCS commented in a press release.
At the same time, strikes by rail workers organized by several unions have continued throughout December, and several days’ strikes by security guards working for Eurostar have also been announced.
Also, workers on London’s Elizabeth underground line will vote on a possible strike to demand a better pay rise than the roughly 4% offered by the London Transport Department.
Finally, 350 baggage handlers employed by a subcontractor at Heathrow Airport, the country’s largest, have also planned a 72-hour strike from December 16.
Original article published on BFMTV.com
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