UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has made surprise phone calls to public servants thanking them for their “selflessness,” as the public sector continues to suffer disruptions amid a wave of industrial actions.
In footage published on Dec. 23, Sunak phoned the crew of the naval ship HMS Protector, British diplomats in Pakistan, Somalia, and Ukraine, as well as holiday activities and a food programme in London.
In a statement, he said: “Whether you are working in Mogadishu or Milton Keynes this Christmas, I want you to know that I am personally grateful for your sacrifice.
“This year has been an extraordinary year for so many reasons, but most of all, it’s been a year in which the true spirit and resilience of the United Kingdom has been on show, from the support given to our Ukrainian friends, to the work being done to ensure essential aid reaches the most vulnerable overseas.
“And closer to home, those who have checked on friends and neighbours, volunteers, public servants, and essential service staff all working over Christmas—I am truly humbled by your dedication and I know your selflessness this festive season will spread cheer across the country.”
Christmas Disruptions
The UK has faced widespread disruptions with public sector walkouts hitting the National Health Service (NHS), the postal service, and transport networks.A walkout by thousands of members of the Rail, Maritime, and Transport union (RMT) at Network Rail means trains were due to stop running early on Christmas Eve, and some routes had no services all day.
No trains operate on Britain’s railways on Christmas Day, and the normal limited Boxing Day schedule has been scrapped due to the strike, while services will start later than usual on Dec. 27.
Christmas is a key period for maintenance work on the railways. Network Rail planned a £120 million ($145 million) programme of more than 300 projects over the festive period this year. It said “around 85 percent” of this work will still go ahead despite the RMT action.
Meanwhile, around 1,000 members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union employed by the Home Office to operate passport booths are on strike at Heathrow, Birmingham, Cardiff, Gatwick, Glasgow, and Manchester airports, as well as the port of Newhaven in East Sussex.
Military personnel have been deployed at the ports to check passports during the Border Force strikes, which will take place every day for the rest of the year, except Dec. 27.
PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka threatened to escalate the industrial action unless the government comes forward with an improved pay offer, saying that the airport disruptions could last for months.
Earlier this week, NHS staff held two days of strikes, with thousands of nurses walking out on Tuesday and ambulance workers joining picket lines on Wednesday.
On Friday, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) announced two more days of industrial action in England on Jan. 18 and 19.
RCN general secretary Pat Cullen said the union has been left with “no choice” but to act.
Public Sector Pay
The prime minister said on Friday he is “sad” and “disappointed” about widespread disruptions caused by strikes, but has insisted that refusing to negotiate on public sector pay is the “right thing” to do.Speaking to broadcasters during a visit to a homeless shelter in London, Sunak said: “I am really sad and I am disappointed about the disruption that is being caused to so many people’s lives, particularly at Christmas time.”
“When it comes to the difficult question of setting public pay, the government has acted fairly and reasonably in accepting all the recommendations of the public sector pay review bodies,” he added.
The prime minister insisted that not negotiating on pay with striking workers is the “right thing for the whole country.”
He said: “We all know the major economic challenge we all face now is inflation, it’s inflation eating into everyone’s pay packets.”
He added: “I want to make sure we reduce inflation, part of that is being responsible when it comes to setting public sector pay. That’s why we have an independent process.
“I know things are difficult but it’s right there’s an independent body that makes recommendations to the government and the government accepted those. It increased its offer, matched all those recommendations. I think that’s the reasonable thing to do. And in the long term it’s the right thing for the whole country that we beat inflation.”
