UK strikes since June 2022: The key numbers
O
ver the previous 12 months the UK has skilled a degree of strike motion the like of which has not been seen within the nation for greater than three a long time.
Some 3.7 million working days have been misplaced via labour disputes from June 2022 to April 2023, based on newest obtainable knowledge from the Office for National Statistics.
This is the very best for any 11-month interval since July 1989 to May 1990, when 4.8 million have been misplaced.
December 2022 noticed essentially the most working days misplaced, at 829,000.
The quantity displays the affect of a spread of strikes, together with disputes involving postal employees, driving examiners, rail employees, Border Force workers, ambulance employees and nurses.
It is the very best complete for a single month since November 2011, when 997,000 days have been misplaced.
It can also be the second highest complete since July 1989, when 2.4 million have been misplaced.
Disputes affecting London and north-west England collectively accounted for almost a 3rd (30%) of all working days misplaced within the 11 months to April this 12 months, based on evaluation by the PA news company.
There have been 576,500 days misplaced in London (16% of the full) and 526,100 (14%) within the North West.
South-east England noticed the following highest quantity, at 466,200 days (13%), adopted by Scotland (459,500 or 12%).
Wales recorded the fewest days misplaced, 125,500, accounting for simply 3% of the UK complete.
More days have been misplaced within the non-public sector (57%, or 2.1 million) than the general public sector (43%, or 1.6 million), although the proportions have diverse from month to month.
For instance, in December 2022 – the month with the very best variety of working days misplaced – 80% have been within the non-public sector, pushed primarily by the amount of disputes within the rail and postal industries.
But in March 2023, which noticed the second highest complete of days misplaced, 89% have been within the public sector, reflecting a wave of strikes involving civil servants, junior docs and lecturers.
March additionally noticed the very best variety of employees concerned in disputes, at 303,000, whereas December noticed round half that determine, at 155,000.
Of the three.7 million variety of working days misplaced from June 2022 to April 2023, greater than half (57%, or 2.1 million) have been in transport, storage and communication industries – a mirrored image of the frequency of rail strikes, but in addition of recurring disputes involving Border Force workers and driving instructors.
Nearly 1 / 4 (23%) have been to do with schooling, 10% well being and social work and 6% public administration.