There is a Storm Coming

And I'm not talking about the weather.

For a generation in Britain there has been an unwritten agreement between the government and workers in the public sector - a covenant if you will. In return for low pay throughout their working lives which keeps inflation low public sector workers will be rewarded in retirement with slightly better pensions then their colleagues in the private sector. Now the Conservative Party, who have an ideological hatred of the public sector, have got into to government this agreement has been torn up without warning or meaningful negotiation.

In response the main teaching unions, the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), the National Union of Teachers (NUT), the Association of Teachers & Lecturers (ATL) and the University College Union (UCU) have all voted for one day of strike action on June 30th 2011. The other major teaching union the National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) are voting soon on whether or not to join them. Yesterday (15/6/11) the Public & Commerical Services union (PCS) which represents civil servants from the highest levels of national government down to the security guards at local job centres also voted to strike on June 30th over pensions. The Prison Officers Association (POA) which represents prison officers also announced yesterday that it intends to defy a ban on strike action and walk out on June 30th. Unison which represents health care workers and the two large general unions, Unite and the GMB are also to vote on holding strikes over pensions on June 30th. The Rail, Maritime & Transport Union (RMT) who operate London's underground rail network will already be on strike on June 30th over London Underground's decision to disregard the ruling of an employment tribunal into an employee who was sacked for union activity.

So although June 30th won't be a General Strike because that would be illegal it looks as though Britain's public services including the courts, prisons, schools and hospitals along with London's transport system will be seriously disrupted on that day. However as the plan seems to be for striking workers to picket their local work place rather then hold a big national march there is little risk of March 26th style disorder. The only exception could be in London because many of the buildings around Whitehall and Parliament square are the work places of PCS members. If their pickets are joined by a march of students and school children who will have the day off then it could turn out a lot like the student protests of the winter.