Easter is traditionally a time for family reunions and vacation trips as people enjoy school and holidays.
However, this year could be marred by a series of strikes that hamper services due to disputes over wages and working conditions.
Passport control staff, Heathrow airport security guards and resident doctors all went on strike during or just after the Easter weekend.
When is the passport office on strike?
Passport workers, represented by the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union, launched a union action. Monday 3.4 about jobs, wages, pensions and working conditions. This will last until Friday, May 5th.
Passport offices in Durham, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Newport, Peterborough and Southport are affected. Belfast office workers begin their union action Friday 7.4.
About 1,800 passport processing and renewal workers have joined the strike, according to the PCS, representing about 95 percent of those eligible to strike.
The advice of the Ministry of the Interior is to allow 10 weeks for the renewal of the passport. She was “well positioned to deal with a protracted phase of labor disputes”.
But Mark Servotka, general secretary of the PCS, said he expects “massive delays” for people trying to extend them for the summer holidays.
How did Heathrow suffer from the strikes?
Hundreds of Heathrow airport security personnel affiliated with the Unite union went on strike for 10 days. Friday, March 31 which is expected to end Sunday 9.4 (Easter Sunday).
The operation involves security forces based in Terminal 5, operated exclusively by British Airways, and personnel responsible for screening all cargo and baggage entering the airport.
They resolve labor disputes over wages and working conditions. Unite said the strike would result in “serious delays and disruptions” to flights.
Heathrow said it would deploy an additional 1,000 staff to the terminals to assist passengers and remain open and operational, but warned that the strikes could affect the travel of some passengers wishing to travel during this time.
During the strike, passengers are allowed through security with only two pieces of hand luggage.
British Airways said it had canceled about five percent of its flights during the period and stopped selling tickets on strike days.
When do young doctors leave?
The British Medical Association (BMA) and the Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association (HCSA) announced late last month that young doctors in England would once again stage a four-day strike in April.
Young doctors who work for the NHS in England and are members of the BMA and HCSA have been on strike for 96 hours. Tuesday, April 11, 6:59 a.m. – Saturday, April 15, 6:59 a.m..
He is part of a “full wage restoration” campaign that led to a three-day strike in March. Union leaders say doctors’ real wages have fallen 26.1 percent since 2008 and will now require a 35.3 percent wage increase to recover.
The BMA Medical Committee said the situation was “totally government related” and its members would rather “spend time caring for patients than go on strike”.
The Department of Health and Welfare said that further strikes “will jeopardize patient safety and cause further disruption” and called the terms of the 35% pay raise negotiations “unreasonable”.
While the NHS Confederation, which represents trusts and healthcare providers, has warned that patient care is “in the know” of upcoming strikes.
Source: I News
I’m Raymond Molina, a professional writer and journalist with over 5 years of experience in the media industry. I currently work for 24 News Reporters, where I write for the health section of their news website. In my role, I am responsible for researching and writing stories on current health trends and issues. My articles are often seen as thought-provoking pieces that provide valuable insight into the state of society’s wellbeing.