The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has accused the government of refusing to negotiate compensation for the public sector.
Its new general secretary, Paul Nowak, said that ministers were using pay review committees as “human shields” in negotiations.
As prices have risen in recent months, widespread strikes have occurred.
But the administration has stated that if public sector pays increased by the cost of living, “debt would deteriorate” and “everyone would be poorer.”
Mr. Nowak said that the government had “locked the hands” of independent pay review committees heading into discussions.
“The pay review body process itself is in danger of falling into discredit because the government is hiding behind the pay review bodies and refusing to talk on salary and achieve a reasonable deal with our public sector unions,” he said.
A government official stated, “We have been reasonable in accepting the recommendations of independent pay review organizations for public sector pay increases.”
In December, nurses in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland staged the greatest strike in the history of the NHS, and further action is scheduled for January.
Meanwhile, train and postal services have been affected due to strikes by rail workers and Royal Mail employees over pay and working conditions.
The rate of price increases, or inflation, reached a 40-year high of 10.7% in November, fueled by increasing energy costs.
As a result, workers are requesting wage increases at or above the rate of inflation.
Mr. Nowak stated on his first day on the job that he hoped there was a “landing zone” between the government’s offerings and the unions’ compensation demands.
“It is essential that the government sits down and negotiates,” he continued.
Frances O’Grady has been succeeded by Mr. Nowak as the head of the TUC, which represents unions in England and Wales.
Without progress in negotiations, he warned that further strike action may be scheduled in the new year.
As a result of growing prices, he stated that workers “feel they have no choice but to go on strike.”
The one thing that is not increasing is wages, despite rising electricity bills, grocery prices, gas prices, rents, and mortgages.
Mr. Nowak noted that the decision to strike was “very painful” for the union’s members, who frequently lose wages during strikes.
On the 29th of December, TSSA union members at West Midlands Trains and Great Western Railway will continue to strike over salary and working conditions.
Border Force employees, including many who inspect passports, are conducting new strikes that will go through December 31, despite minor inconveniences at six airports.
In a dispute over wages, pensions, and redundancy terms, PCS-affiliated driving examiners are also on strike until December 31, and action will continue throughout January.
The president of the staff-representing union PCS has warned that industrial action could endure until 2023 or beyond.
Strikes are anticipated to affect rail travel in the first week of January when many people return to work after the holidays.
Members of the RMT union will go on strike on January 3 and 4. They will retaliate on the 6th and 7th of January.
Network Train, which operates and maintains the rail network in the United Kingdom, has advised passengers to “travel only if necessary” on specified days.
In addition, Aslef members will depart on January 5. Due to the strikes, Southeastern has warned that there will be no train service on that date and major disruptions in the days before and following and has advised customers to check their website before traveling.
The Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators, stated that due to the RMT strikes, only 20 percent of services will operate, and “half of the network will close.”
