There is once again a deafening silence along the Belgian press. The population is not allowed to know if and when there are strikes or demonstrations in other countries. Surely as not to give them any ideas ?
In the UK there have been many demonstrations in the last 3 years that never made the news. Since the beginning of this year, there has been further unrest in the country which has been greatly aggravated by high inflation, rising prices and, more recently, food shortages that have led to the rationing of fruits and vegetables whose prices are rocketing.
The people have enough of the lax government. When British Chancellor of the Finance Jeremy Hunt announced his tax and spending plans, the plug flew from the long-smelling barrel. Since March 15, 2023, the country has been flattened for 48 hours. Yet another 48h national strike begins on March 18 and will be repeated on March 30-April 1.
All teachers, from elementary school to university lecturers and staff, BBC journalists and reporters, 130,000 government officials and staff of government departments, doctors in hospitals and private practices, doctor-students, nurses, paramedics, lawyers, workers affected by the cost of living crisis, maritime transport, airline staff, all border guards, military personnel as well as over 50% of all train, subway, bus and streetcar drivers have laid off their work. In London even the vast majority went on strike, leaving the city in a state of total chaos,especially as there are also demonstrations with hundreds of thousands of demonstrators.
All schools are closed during the strike days. National Education Union leaders Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney have previously threatened to step up their actions if the government does not "put money on the table."
The unions are taking on the government that has implemented a wage freeze, refuses to index wages because it would allegedly fuel inflation even more while the people can no longer afford the high costs and are sinking deeper and deeper into poverty. It is also about working conditions, job security and pensions which are also being reformed in the UK at the expense of the people.
March 15 was expected to be the biggest strike day since the wave of unrest increased in 2022. That expectation was exceeded. The country is flattened and so will be March 16, day when a national railroad strike also begins and about 10,000 members of the Aslef and RMT unions strike in a long-running dispute over pensions and working conditions take the streets ( too few staff, too many layoffs, too low pay and poor working conditions ).
General secretary Mark Serwotka of the Public and Commercial Services union warned that the action is just the beginning of strikes that could last until the end of the year.
He said, "On Budget Day we are asking Jeremy Hunt to give our hard-working members a fair pay rise. 40,000 civil servants use food banks and 45,000 claim in-work benefits because they are so poor."
Mike Clancy, general secretary of Prospect, said, "Our public sector members have seen their incomes drop 26% over the past 13 years and their work is taken for granted - they've had enough."
Members of the National Union of Journalists working at BBC Local across England will hold a 24-hour strike over program cuts.
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