‘Significant disruption’ warning as UK braces for mass strikes – Saudi Gazette

‘Significant disruption’ warning as UK braces for mass strikes – Saudi Gazette

LONDON — The British government has warned of "significant disruption" on Wednesday in the biggest series of strikes in a decade involving school teachers and classroom assistants, some bus and train drivers, security guards, civil servants, and staff at 150 universities.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's spokesperson told reporters the sheer scale of the strikes would make things "very difficult for the public trying to go about their daily lives."

"We are upfront that this will disrupt people's lives and that's why we think negotiations rather than picket lines are the right approach," the spokesperson said.

Wednesday's wave of industrial action is just the latest in a series of strikes to hit various parts of the UK -- and which will continue next week with strikes planned by nurses, midwives, ambulance crews, physiotherapists, railway workers and university staff again.

In England and Wales, teachers are taking industrial action for the first time since 2016 over demands for better pay.

London school teacher Lucy Preston will miss her son's fourth birthday this week because she has to work a second job in the evening as a private tutor to make sure she can pay for her childcare and mortgage.

The single mother of two will join other teachers