Industrial action expected across the UK: strike dates from now until February

Timeline of planned strike action for services, from health to railways

Ben Mitchell
Monday 12 December 2022 18:07 GMT
Unison members stage a 24 hour strike outside the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Monday December 12, 2022 (Liam McBurney/PA)
Unison members stage a 24 hour strike outside the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Monday December 12, 2022 (Liam McBurney/PA) (PA Wire)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

The first of two 48-hour strikes at Network Rail and 14 train companies are to begin on Tuesday (Dec 13) after members of the Rail Maritime and Transport union (RMT) rejected a pay offer.

Services ranging from postal deliveries to health services are to be hit by strikes from now going into February.

Here are some of the strikes planned:

– December 13

Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union members on Network Rail and 14 train operators to begin a 48-hour strike.

Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) members at Avanti West Coast will also begin 48-hour strike.

Civil servants in the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union to start a month-long strike, with workers in different agencies and departments walking out on different days.

The first day includes DVSA driving examiners, whose strike will start in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and staff in the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) customer service centre.

Unison workers at the Environment Agency are holding an indefinite work to rule protest.

– December 14

RMT and TSSA train strikes to continue, affecting services across the UK.

Royal Mail workers will walk out on another national strike.

The DVSA strike continues for staff in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

RPA staff continue their walkout.

Unison workers at the Environment Agency refuse to provide ‘on call’ cover for unexpected incidents.

– December 15

Members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) will go on strike.

Bus workers for Abellio in London to go on strike for 48 hours.

Royal Mail workers to strike again.

The DVSA strike continues for staff in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

RPA staff continue their walkout.

– December 16

RMT rail workers to stage another 48-hour national strike.

The union will also see members working as security guards on Eurostar staging a 24-hour strike.

TSSA members who work for Avanti West Coast to stage another 48-hour walkout.

Ground handlers employed by private contractor Menzies at Heathrow Airport, who are members of Unite, will walk out from 4am for 72 hours.

Bus workers with Abellio in London will continue their strike.

The DVSA strike continues for staff in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

PCS road strikes to begin with National Highways employees walking out in the North West, North East and Yorkshire.

RPA staff continue their walkout.

Unison workers at the Environment Agency refuse to provide ‘on call’ cover for unexpected incidents.

– December 17

TSSA members who work for c2c to walk out.

Rail workers with the same union at Avanti West Coast will continue their strike.

The DVSA strike continues for staff in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

National Highways workers continue their walkout in the North West, North East and Yorkshire.

The RMT rail workers’ walkout continues.

Unite ground handlers at Heathrow continue their strike.

– December 18

RMT members working as security guards on Eurostar to stage another walkout.

Unite ground handlers at Heathrow continue their strike.

The DVSA strike continues for staff in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

– December 19

Staff working at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) start strike action. More than 200 PCS members in three DWP offices in Liverpool and one in Doncaster will walk out on dates from December 19 to 31 – although it is unclear which dates.

Unite members working for Highlands and Islands Airports will strike, affecting 11 small hubs in Scotland.

DVSA driving examiners to strike in the North West, Yorkshire and Humber and North Wales.

RPA staff resume their walkout.

– December 20

RCN members will stage another nurses’ strike.

The DVSA strike continues in the North West, Yorkshire and Humber and North Wales.

RPA staff continue their walkout.

Unison workers at the Environment Agency refuse to provide ‘on call’ cover for unexpected incidents.

– December 21

Ambulance workers and other NHS staff will stage a strike in England co-ordinated by the GMB, Unison and Unite. Scottish members of Unison and Unite reached an agreement and called off their action.

The DVSA strike continues in the North West, Yorkshire and Humber and North Wales.

RPA staff continue their walkout.

– December 22

Railway cleaners across the country with the RMT union to launch a strike.

National Highways workers begin a walkout in London and the South East.

Unite members working for Highlands and Islands Airports will stage another strike.

RMT Eurostar security staff to stage another walkout.

The DVSA strike continues in the North West, Yorkshire and Humber and North Wales.

RPA staff continue their walkout.

Unison workers at the Environment Agency refuse to provide ‘on call’ cover for unexpected incidents.

– December 23

Royal Mail workers will walk out in another day of national strike action.

The RMT railway cleaners’ national strike continues.

RMT Eurostar security staff to stage another walkout.

The National Highways workers’ strike continues in London and the South East.

The DVSA strike continues in the North West, Yorkshire and Humber and North Wales.

PCS members in Border Force start a wave of strikes, including December 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30 and 31.

– December 24

RMT railway workers will stage another strike from 6pm on Christmas Eve.

Royal Mail workers to continue national strike action.

The DVSA strike continues in the North West, Yorkshire and Humber and North Wales.

Unison staff at Environment Agency refuse to volunteer attend incidents.

– December 25

The RMT rail strike will continue, although no train services run on Christmas Day.

Unison staff at Environment Agency refuse to volunteer to attend incidents.

– December 26

The RMT rail strike will continue, meaning limited Boxing Day services are likely to be cancelled.

Unison staff at Environment Agency refuse to volunteer to attend incidents until 9am.

– December 27

The RMT rail strike continues until 6am.

– December 28

NHS staff in the GMB union will stage another strike.

The DVSA driving examiners’ strikes will start in the West Midlands, the Eastern region and the East Midlands

– December 29

The DVSA strike continues in the West Midlands, Eastern region and East Midlands.

– December 30

Road strikes by National Highways’ employees will begin in the West Midlands and South West.

The DVSA strike continues in the West Midlands, Eastern region and East Midlands.

– December 31

RMT railway cleaners will stage another strike.

Road strikes by National Highways employees will begin in the West Midlands and South West.

Unison staff at Environment Agency refuse to volunteer to attend incidents.

– January 1

National Highways workers to stage two-day action in all areas of the country.

The DVSA strike continues in the West Midlands, Eastern region and East Midlands.

Unison staff at Environment Agency refuse to volunteer to attend incidents.

– January 2

Unison staff at Environment Agency refuse to volunteer attend incidents until 9am.

– January 3

RPA staff will resume their walkout.

– January 4

The DVSA driving examiners’ strike starts in London, the South East, South Wales and the South West.

The RMT rail workers’ strike continues.

UK-wide National Highways strike continues.

RPA staff will continue their walkout.

– January 5

The DVSA strike continues in London, South East, South Wales and South West.

RPA staff continue their walkout.

– January 6

RMT rail workers will stage another 48-hour strike.

National Highways workers to stage a two-day action in the East Midlands and eastern England.

The DVSA strike continues in London, South East, South Wales and South West.

RPA staff to continue their walkout.

– January 7

The RMT rail workers’ walkout continues.

National Highways workers will continue their strike in the East Midlands and eastern England.

The DVSA strike continues in London, South East, South Wales and South West.

– January 8

The DVSA strike continues in London, South East, South Wales and South West.

– January 9

The DVSA strike continues in London, South East, South Wales and South West.

RPA staff continue their walkout.

– January 10

The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) teachers’ union will stage a national strike in primary schools, special schools and early years sites.

The DVSA strike continues in London, South East, South Wales and South West.

RPA staff continue their walkout.

– January 11

EIS, joined by the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association, will stage another national strike, in secondary schools and secondary special schools.

RPA staff will continue their walkout.

– January 12

RPA staff continue their walkout.

– January 13

RPA staff continue their walkout.

– January 16

EIS to stage a national strike for 16 consecutive days until February 2, which will see members in two local authorities strike each day.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in