The summer of discontent
Throwback to 70s looms as unions plot crippling, coordinated strikes
SCOTLAND is set for a ‘summer of discontent’ as unions plan a co-ordinated series of strikes that could paralyse the country.
Workers, including teachers, rail staff and local government employees, are seeking big pay increases to cover the cost of living crisis – and have signalled they are prepared to launch industrial action.
Now unions are discussing arranging strikes at the same time during the summer and autumn to ‘maximise their impact’.
Such a move could cripple the transport system, schools and local services, such as bin collections.
According to union sources, a series of disruptive strikes is already being planned while behind the scenes senior figures are aiming to ensure ‘sister unions’ co-ordinate over their disputes.
Concerted strike action could result in chaos reminiscent of the Winter of Discontent in 1979.
The Scottish Trade Union Congress said frustrated workers struggling with soaring inflation and a cost of living crisis will be forced to hit the streets.
General secretary Roz Foyer said: ‘Scotland’s workers are taking direct action to demand urgent intervention from government to alleviate the cost of living crisis.
‘Workers in Scotland didn’t cause this crisis. We won’t be paying for it.’
Council staff are set to walk out this summer if Nicola Sturgeon’s government does not meet their pay demands. UNISON Scottish secretary Tracey Dalling said: ‘Members have had years of real-terms pay cuts and now face a cost of living crisis. We note a real appetite for industrial action.’
Pat Rafferty, of Unite Union which also represents local government staff, said: ‘If the Scottish Government thinks a 2 per cent pay offer is acceptable then they don’t understand the challenges workers are weighing up in order to make ends meet. This is why we have already balloted over strike action across the public sector.’
Other union chiefs have warned that up to 60,000 teachers are gearing up for strikes this autumn, while 21,000 ScotRail drivers are also prepared to walk out.
This comes as railway maintenance staff are set to be balloted on taking action later this year. Manuel Cortes, general secretary of the Transport Salaried Staff Association, said his members will look to co-operate with other unions.
He added: ‘If employer intransigence results in members having
‘Members have had years of real-terms pay cuts’ ‘We would always seek to maximise the impact’
to take part in industrial action, we would always seek to maximise the impact of our action by co-ordinating it with sister unions.’
Seamus Searson, of the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association, said: ‘Teacher unions across the UK have been in conversations regarding coordinating action on pay in the autumn.’