On Wednesday at noon, when Chancellor Jeremy Hunt delivers his Budget speech in parliament, he may hear a crowd of demonstrators heading in his direction.
There are likely to be tens of thousands of teachers and other public sector employees marching down Whitehall demanding pay increases.
Just across the river from the House of Commons will be picket lines manned by junior physicians.
In England, teachers are on strike on Wednesday and Thursday; their action in Wales was canceled after the Welsh government revised its offer. The university faculty and employees are also absent on those days.
London Underground drivers strike and the biggest civil service strike, with up to 150,000 participants, on Wednesday.
It is unlikely to affect the delivery of the Budget, as it does not involve any of the Treasury’s highest-paid bureaucrats.
However, if you contact an HMRC call center, they may take some time to answer. In total, more than 400,000 government employees are taking action.
An impressive setting for the chancellor’s special day.
Teachers
Wednesday marks the commencement of a two-day strike by National Education Union-affiliated teachers in England. (NEU). Since February, teachers have been on strike multiple times in an ongoing dispute over pay and funding.
It is anticipated to affect all schools in England, including sixth-form colleges with NEU teachers.
As a result of government discussions, industrial action is no longer anticipated in Wales.
During previous protests on February 28 and March 2, more than half of the schools were closed or had attendance restrictions.
The Department of Education advises parents to send their children to school unless instructed otherwise by school administrators.
Here you can learn more about why teachers are on strike.
Junior physicians
Wednesday will be the last complete day of strike action by junior doctors in England this week. They are striking over pay and working conditions.
Monday and Tuesday were busy days for A&E units, according to NHS managers, as senior staff covered for striking physicians.
About 45% of the medical workforce is comprised of junior physicians, and two-thirds of them are members of the British Medical Association and Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association unions that are organizing the strike.
They intend to continue walking away from both emergency and planned care.
Consultants and other senior physicians are being mobilized to provide coverage.
The number of appointments that have been postponed is currently unknown.
Throughout the winter, 20% of routine treatments were canceled due to industrial action by nurses. According to Nick Triggle, the impact of the junior doctor strike is likely to be greater.
Here you can learn more about why junior physicians are on strike.
Civil servants
Up to 150,000 government employees from more than 100 departments and agencies will go on strike.
In a dispute with the government over pay, pensions, job security, and redundancy, members of the Public and Commercial Services and Prospect unions are taking action.
The union announced that its members from 123 government departments, including the Department of Transport, the Department of Health and Social Services, and the Home Office, would participate in the industrial action.
The PCS union represents tens of thousands of government employees, including those employed by Ofsted, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, and the Border Force.
You can learn more about the reasons for the strike here.
London Tube Strikes
Transport for London (TfL) warns Tube passengers that there will be “minimal or no service” on Wednesday due to the RMT and Aslef strike.
Members of both unions are expected to strike over job cuts, pensions, and working conditions.
The Elizabeth Line, Overground, DLR, trams, and buses will be busier than usual, according to Transport for London.
It has advised Wednesday travelers to allocate more time for their journeys and to check the latest information before departure.
TfL also warned that the closure of Tube stations could prevent certain services from stopping at all stations or running to their regular destinations.
On Thursday, March 16th, tube services are anticipated to begin later than usual.
Here you can learn more about why some TfL employees are on strike.
