Starmer faces wave of strikes as union discontent spreads over pay rise caps

Labour is potentially facing months of unrest over public sector pay as more unions raise concerns over the impact of Rachel Reeves’ spending review

The head of the Royal College of Nursing has warned that further strikes could take place if the Government does not “invest” in nurses. (Jordan Pettitt/PA) (PA Wire)

Strike threats by the unions representing teachers and nurses have been joined by other public sector workers as disquiet over a cap on pay rises increases.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) general secretary Matt Wrack, a former Trades Union Congress (TUC) president, has made it clear that his members could also go out on strike if demands for a 5 per cent pay settlement are not met next year.

Unions representing teachers and nurses are upset at the plans to only award their members 2.8 per cent next year as chancellor Rachel Reeves tries to keep a handle on ballooning public spending.

Already the chancellor has put up taxes by £40 billion in her first Budget and she has now told departments they need to find 5 per cent of savings.

Rachel Reeves called for every government department to cut costs by 5 per cent (Dan Kitwood/PA) (PA Wire)

She has warned that there must be an overall zero rise in spending by departments with priorities for new money coming in the six milestones outlined in Keir Starmer’s “Plan for Change.”

But while the FBU does not have the same pay review body arrangement which nurses and doctors have, Mr Wrack told The Independent that he is not ruling out strike action if demands are not met.

He said: “I do not want to go on strike. I do not want to see strikes in the fire service but we have to have that right and we have to be prepared to do so if we can’t resolve things or if we are attacked in some way.”

Meanwhile, the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union which represents Britain’s civil servants has also sent a shot across the bows for Starmer’s government.

The PCS union has sent Starmer’s government a warning shot (Press Association Images/Press Association Images)

It also has different pay review arrangements to the government but is unhappy at the prospect of pay constraint and potential redundancies.

PCS general secretary Fran Heathcote said: “Although our members aren’t directly covered by the Pay Review Body, this is not a good sign if it is the shape of things to come.

“The prime minister won't achieve his aim of boosting people's living standards without boosting workers' pay. Years of pay freezes and pay caps, which have seen real incomes tumble throughout the public sector, were a major contributor to flatlining growth.

"The prime minister says that economic growth is the number one mission of his government. Pay restoration is part of the solution.”

The issues have become more heated after the government backed down with junior doctors and train drivers giving them bumper pay offers to help equalise pay levels from before the banking collapse in 2008.