One social movement per day, minimum from 1eh to December 24: British workers inaugurate this year a “advent calendar for strikes”, notice Daily Telegraph.
From England to Scotland, from teachers to paramedics, driving instructors, bus drivers, researchers and cash couriers, anger is rising. “Faced with galloping inflation with formidable cost-of-living implications, unions are demanding record increases, explains the conservative daily newspaper. Inflation reached 11.1%, unheard of in 41 years.”
Some, like the railroad workers, are continuing a standoff that has been going on since the spring. Others, like the nurses, irritated by the dilapidated state of the public health system, voted to strike for the first time in their history (December 15 and 20).
“Winter of Discontent”
And the list of affected businesses could still grow in the coming days, warns the London newspaper. “The main civil service union, which includes border guards, passport office workers and highway workers, has voted to stop work, but days of action have not yet been set.”
According to the editor of Sunday Telegraph, this “Winter of Discontent” sign of the failure of the conservatives at the head of the country. “The government has no strategy to bring down inflation (other than waiting for it to pass)”, laments Allister Heath, disappointed by Rishi Sunak’s first weeks in office.
Immigration (“the authorities are helpless in the face of irregular canal crossings”), public service “overheated”, energetic transition “without a clear course”, unsustainable cost of living:
“We were promised a government made up of specialists, competent and serious professionals, with remarkable composure, and yet Sunak and his team have completely failed on all the issues close to the hearts of those who would still have wanted to vote Conservative. “
At least, quips the conservative weekly, “you will be able to save on Christmas eggs and turkey, which are sold out”. And “forget the Christmas cards: the postmen are on strike”.