Labour Strikes Wipe Out 1M Working Days, Unions Demand More

0:00On March 21st, strike action under the labor government has already wiped out more than 1 million working days since they took office in July, 2024, with official figures hitting 1.04 million by January this year. Even after generous pay deals, like a 22% rise for resident doctors less than two years ago and 15% for train drivers, unions aren't backing down. Doctors just voted for six more months of strikes after talks broke down, while rail unions announced fresh walkouts for next month. These disruptions have hit everyday life hard, from London underground staff halting the capital for a full week last September to ongoing bin, strikes in Birmingham piling up revisions January and peak losses of 143,000 days in November last year from doctor, walkouts. Adding to the frustration, taxpayers footed a 90 million pound bill last year for paid leave, letting nearly 15,000 public sector workers. This on union duties, including plotting more industrial action instead of frontline services.

1:04As the government pours record funds into the NHS to cut waiting lists and add staff, unions demand even bigger changes on pay, jobs and conditions, leaving disputes far from resolved.