Half a Million Workers , Participate in Massive Strikes , Across the UK.
On February 1, the United Kingdom saw thousands
of people participate in the largest strike Britain
has experienced in over a decade.
NBC reports that the strikes come as unions
increase pressure on the government to demand
higher wages amid an ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
The strikes resulted in thousands of schools closing some
or all of their classrooms while train services were brought
to a standstill, and delays were expected at airports. .
According to the Trades Union Congress,
an estimated half a million workers participated
in the walkout across the U.K.
More strikes are reportedly planned
for the coming days and weeks,
which will include nurses and ambulance workers.
NBC reports that the last time the U.K. saw strikes
on this scale was in 2011 when over 1 million public
sector workers took part in a dispute over pensions.
According to union bosses, wages in
the public sector have failed to keep
pace with skyrocketing inflation.
On February 1, the Trades Union Congress
said that the average worker is about $250
a month worse off than they were in 2010.
Currently, inflation in the U.K.
stands at 10.5%, the highest
it's been in 40 years. .
NBC reports that while some economists have
predicted price increases to slow in 2023,
the economic outlook for the U.K. remains grim. .
On January 31, the International Monetary
Fund forecast Britain to be the only major
economy to contract in the year to come.