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Mass cost of living protest in London

Thursday, 16 March 2023 3:24 AM [ Last Update: Thursday, 16 March 2023 3:24 AM ]

Saeed Pourreza

Press TV, London

Out of classrooms and hospitals, and onto the streets. Tens of thousands of the nearly half a million striking public sector workers yet again calling for better pay and conditions.

The biggest number striking over two days this week, teachers: 300k of them. This is the second time this year teachers walk off the job.

It's part of a long running industrial action that has swept the country for months. Now its kicked up a notch in a momentous day of walkouts coinciding with the government's new budget announcement in the Parliament just down the street from here.

Among other things, finance minister Jeremy Hunt promised 115 billion dollars in cost of living support for families.

Ahead of the walkout, the teaching unions were asked by the government to call off their strike in return for formal talks. The unions said that was a precondition they wouldn't accept:

A decent offer is yet to be made. And in the battle of hearts and minds, striking workers are still winning, with health workers and teachers enjoying the most support. Primary school teacher Chris says the government has some political choices to make.

Cost of living protests and walkouts in the UK have been going on for months now, with strike fatigue nowhere in sight.

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