Now 100,000 Civil Servants Vote to Walk Out as Britain's Misery Worsens
More than 100,000 civil servants, including Border Force staff and driving test examiners, are set to go on strike in a row over pay, pensions and job cuts. | Industrial action could ‘reach into every corner of public life’, with passport control at airports, benefit payments and numerous government departments all affected, the Public and Commercial Services union said. General secretary Mark Serwotka said unless the union received ‘substantial proposals’ from No.10 addressing its concerns, details of ‘sustained’ walk-outs would be announced next Friday. It follows an ‘overwhelming’ vote in favour of strikes, after the threshold for action was reached in 126 areas of the civil servant workforce. Mr Serwotka said 💬 the government must ‘realise it can no longer treat its workers with contempt’. ● A government spokesman said plans were in place to minimise disruption, adding: ‘We regret this decision and remain in regular discussion with unions and staff.’
■ UK economy shrinks as lengthy recession looms (Al Jazeera)
■ EU Faces Winter Recession AswarSanctions Pummel the economy (PoliticoEU)
■ Household expenditure increased 4% in 2021 (EuroStat)