Official analysis reveals a surge in working days lost to industrial action since the Labour government took office, with the total set to exceed 750,000. This comes despite the administration having handed significant pay increases to several key unions.
A Growing Tide of Disruption
According to an analysis of Office for National Statistics data, 684,000 working days were lost to strikes between July 2024 and September of this year. The situation is worsening this month, with an additional 80,000 days expected to be wiped out due to the latest five-day walkout by resident doctors. Talks between the doctors' union and ministers have completely broken down, threatening further action.
This persistent disruption is occurring even after resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors, received a 22 per cent pay hike last year. They are now demanding a further increase of 29 per cent.
Pay Rises Fail to Quell Unrest
The Labour government has awarded inflation-busting pay deals to several unions since winning the election. Train drivers, for instance, were handed a 15 per cent increase. However, this strategy appears to have failed to prevent widespread strikes.
The analysis highlights several major disruptions:
- London Underground staff brought the capital to a standstill for a week in September, resulting in nearly 40,000 lost working days.
- The highest single-month loss was 83,000 days in July, during the previous five-day strike by resident doctors.
- More than 50,000 days were lost in each of December, January, February, and March due to the Birmingham bin strikes, which left streets piled high with rubbish. This dispute remains unresolved and has been extended until at least March next year.
Political Fallout and Union Resolve
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused Labour of emboldening union barons, stating: “Last year Keir Starmer put up taxes on struggling businesses but gave huge inflation-busting pay rises to the unions, promising this would end strikes. But here we are a year later with doctors striking for the second time.”
Andrew Griffith, the Conservative business spokesman, blasted Labour for “bending over backwards for its paymaster unions,” suggesting it has led to unions “running riot.”
Meanwhile, the British Medical Association (BMA), representing the junior doctors, has amassed a £1 million war chest to fund its pay campaign. The union plans to re-ballot members in January for a fresh six-month strike mandate, potentially prolonging walkouts until next summer.
A BMA source confirmed talks had “completely broken down.” Dr Emma Runswick, BMA deputy chairman of council, said the government must put “an offer on the table that restores the pay to where it needs to be.”
In response, Health Secretary Wes Streeting branded the latest strikes by resident doctors as ‘reckless’ and ‘extremely irresponsible’.
