Holiday Chaos Looms: Highways Workers Set 12 Days of Strikes Over Christmas and New Year
Brace yourself for festive travel mayhem. PCS union members working on England’s highways have declared 12 days of strike action that could cripple the road network during Christmas and New Year.
Road Warriors to Walk Out in Key Regions
These National Highways staff—responsible for planning, designing, building, operating, and maintaining the country’s roads—will strike in batches from 16 December through 7 January. Workers in the 1 and South East Region will hit the picket lines on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and the two days leading up to Christmas (22-25 December 2022).
Strikes to Hit Roads and Rails Amid Growing Anger
The highway strikes coincide with railway walkouts organised by RMT members, threatening to bring the entire transport network grinding to a halt. The unrest follows votes from 124 government departments and public bodies demanding a 10% pay rise, better pensions, job security, and protection of redundancy terms.
Union Boss Slams Government: “In the Driving Seat to Stop This”
“We know our members’ action could inconvenience travellers who plan to visit their relatives over the festive period, but our members have been placed in this situation by a government that won’t listen to its own workforce,” said PCS General Secretary Mark Serwotka.
“With the serious cost-of-living crisis, they deserve to be paid properly for the important work they do, keeping our roads running safe and free. The government is in the driving seat here – it’s in a position to stop these strikes by putting money on the table.”
More Strikes to Come Across Government Departments
PCS also announced strikes are starting at the Rural Payments Agency and among driving instructors, with further strike dates expected soon for key departments like the Home Office.
