UK to face wave of union militancy, starting Sunday
16 Jun 2011
Britain is facing tough times ahead as a wave of 'sustained' union militancy the likes of which has not been seen in the country for decades looms large, political leaders have warned.
An increasing number of unions are planning to stage walkouts over a bitter dispute on the government's cuts programme.
Public sector strikes are to start from Sunday and will go on for months on a 'mass scale' amid increasing fears that a summer of discontent could cripple the country.
Teachers, civil servants and Tube drivers would stage walk-outs as unions carry out their threat to 'unleash hell' on the coalition.
The Public and Commercial Services union, representing 300,000 civil servants, said yesterday that it would organise a one-day strike on 30 June - timed to coincide with teachers walking out at primary and secondary schools.
The same day would see prison officers hold a series of meetings aimed at causing the maximum disruption in the nation's jails.
Overall, 750,000 workers, including tax officials and immigration staff, would abandon their posts by the end of the month.
Meanwhile, prime minister David Cameron urged public sector workers to ignore the walk-out calls and said the government would support people who would like to work. According to Cameron's office's spokesman, people had a right to strike but they also had a right to work and if they wanted to work during the strikes, the government would extend them full support.
