This is, according to the British media, the most important day of action for several years. Hundreds of thousands of people are on strike across the UK on Wednesday March 15 to demand pay rises, the same day the Conservative government presents its annual budget.
The country has been facing a wave of social unrest for months while inflation remains above 10%. The British are facing rising food and energy prices.
In London, the tube is stopped on Wednesday, the drivers of the “Tube” have stopped working. The stations remained closed. Teachers are on strike in England. They will continue their movement on Thursday. Tens of thousands of them demonstrated in central London at midday. The hospital doctors, who began their action on Monday, did not return to their posts and joined the parade.
As Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt presented his budget to Parliament, civil servants demonstrated outside Downing Street with drums and whistles. “What do we want? 10%! When do we want it? Now ! »the protesters chanted.
“It is a shame to have such a level of poverty in the public service”
“We are currently seeing the biggest strike wave in the UK in years. Ordinary people say, ‘We’ve had enough’.”said Mark Serwotka, general secretary of PCS, the first union in the public sector. “In the UK we have the strongest anti-union legislation, it is very difficult to organize a strike. The fact that so many people are on strike makes me optimistic that we can win. »
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Tens of thousands of public servants are forced to go to food banks while others have to “skip meals”he had said earlier on Sky News. “It’s a real scandal”had criticized the trade unionist. “It is a shame that the government has such a level of poverty in the public service”. “I see these men and women who have dedicated their lives to public service (…) who now have to apply for welfare. »
“Not getting any raise is not an option.” PCS Union General Secretary Mark Serwotka warns there will be a “significant… https://t.co/6RSM4vz5p7
During the presentation of his budget at noon, Jeremy Hunt estimated on Wednesday at 94,000 million pounds (107,700 million euros) in two years the government measures put in place for purchasing power. In particular, the government announced the extension for three months of the cap on energy prices for households, which should have increased on April 1. Jeremy Hunt also announced a 12-month extension of the fuel tax freeze.
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