New TUC boss calls for emergency meeting with prime minister

TUC’s new general secretary called for an emergency meeting with the government prime minister It’s sweeping across the country to break a deadlocked labor dispute.

Paul Nowak called for a change in government policy and said ministers should start wage negotiations with unions.

With rail workers on strike for 48 hours, more outages are planned for the transport industry this month. NHS and civil servants.

in a letter to Rishi SnackNowak said public services were at stake after years of “underfunding and understaffing”.

he wrote:

“Every month, veteran employees are retiring, and one in three civil servants are taking steps to retire or are actively considering retirement.

“This is simply unsustainable.

“But we can’t solve the shortage of staff in schools, hospitals and other places without addressing the underlying causes.

“That means talking about public sector pay improvements in an open and constructive way. But so far, ministers have refused to negotiate wages directly with unions.”

Trade unions have already made it clear that they are willing to talk to the government and talk about wage increases

Paul Nowak, TUC General Secretary

Nowak said unions worked closely with Sunak to implement furlough schemes and protect millions of jobs during the pandemic, adding:

“This is the mature approach we need now.

“Union I have already made it clear that I want to talk to you. government And talk about pay increases. But while ministers continue to bluntly refuse to discuss wage improvements, there can be no solution.

“In the NHS, for example, there are already structures in place that allow wage negotiations to start immediately involving health unions, employers and ministers. We are connected.

“We want to resolve the current controversy so that our public service staff can continue doing what they love. I can.”

About half of Britain’s rail lines are closed, with only one-fifth of services operating. That’s because tens of thousands of workers at Network Rail and rail operators are leaving work on his second day of the strike, with another beginning on Friday.

On Wednesday, the strike of DVSA driving inspectors will begin in London, South East, South Wales and South West, while Highway Traffic Police service workers will continue their strike.

In the meantime, industrial action by staff of the National Highways and Rural Payments Authority across the UK will continue.

Averio’s London bus workers will also begin a two-day strike. This is the first in a series of actions the group has planned for the month of January.