Unions demand co-ordinated strikes in autumn as cost of living crisis escalates

Britain faces co-ordinated strike action this autumn as unions step up pay demands in the face of the cost of living crisis.

Unite and Unison, the country’s largest unions, have submitted motions calling for synchronised walkouts ahead of the TUC’s annual conference in Brighton next month

Anger is mounting at inaction in Government over the spiralling cost of living crisis, as Brits face eye-watering energy bill hikes and rising costs of everyday goods.

Rail staff, barristers and dock workers have gone on strike over the summer, with nurses and teachers expected to ballot for walkouts in the autumn.

The action would be short of a general strike, with unions instead asking the TUC to help co-ordinate walkouts for maximum impact.

Unite’s motion, which has been backed by the rail union RMT and the CWU, calls for help to “facilitate and encourage industrial co-ordination between unions”.

A separate motion from Unison says the cost of living catastrophe is a “low pay crisis” and also demands that the TUC coordinate union action to campaign for pay rises “at least in line with inflation” as well as for a £15 per hour minimum wage.

TUC head of public services, Kevin Rowan, said the union body would “support and encourage” unions in the move, so strikes could be “as effective” as possible.

Mr Rowan told Sky News: “The fact is we are seeing energy costs go up 35 times faster than wages, food bills are going up, housing costs are going up.

“The only thing not going up is people’s pay.”

A TUC spokeswoman said: “This Conservative government is now putting together a co-ordinated plan to stop workers from protecting their pay and conditions – and working people are on the brink.

“So, if strikes coincide, it reflects this broad attack on working people and their living standards coming from this government.

“The TUC has always helped to co-ordinate strike action when asked by our unions and we are ready to do so again.”

Outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that whoever succeeds him in No10 would announce “another huge package of financial support”.

He hinted at the scale of the options to ease the burden being teed up for either Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak to consider, as he said “we must and we will help people through the crisis”.

But Tory frontrunner Liz Truss has been criticised for failing to set out plans for direct support to households and instead focusing on tax cuts.

Her campaign insist it would be wrong to announce her ideas for tackling the cost of living crisis before the contest is over.

“Liz has been clear we need to lower the burden of taxation and focus on boosting energy supplies and this will be her priority as prime minister,” a source said.

“She’s also been clear further support may be required to help. Her preference is to target this to those most in need, but isn’t ruling anything out.”