Around 1,200 soldiers will be deployed in England to replace striking paramedics and Border Police officers, the government announced today, ahead of another week marked by multiple strikes.
The UK, with inflation above 10%, is experiencing social unrest at a level not seen in decades, with strikes affecting many sectors including transport and health. The nurses stopped work on Thursday to demand higher wages and better working conditions and have already announced a new strike next Tuesday. The medical staff, on their part, are going on a two-day strike on December 21 and 28, demanding a salary hike. Border police officers will also strike for several days until the end of the year.
The government on Sunday announced measures to mitigate the impact of the shutdowns, mobilizing about 1,200 armed forces and more than 1,000 civil servants to fill gaps in health services and border policing.
“Unions are causing misery to millions, transport strikes are brutally planned for Christmas,” criticized British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. “Railway workers and border agents have secured contracts that are fair and affordable to taxpayers,” added the conservative leader, who acknowledged some unions would accept the proposals.
Chief of the Defense General Staff Admiral Tony Radakin expressed concerns about the mobilization of armed forces to replace strikers. “We are not a reserve capability. (…) We are busy and doing a lot on behalf of the nation. We need to focus on our core role,” the admiral explained.
