Key dates for strikes and potential industrial action affecting the UK

Strikes or ballots for industrial action have become a regular occurrence as workers across the country join the growing campaign for pay rises to match soaring inflation in the face of the cost-of-living crisis.

The new “winter of discontent” comes amid worsening industrial relations and accusations from union officials that the Government is doing little or nothing to help workers struggling with mounting bills.

Barristers are voting on whether to call off their indefinite strike, while teachers and nurses are being balloted on whether they will begin industrial action.

Criminal defence barristers gather outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London to support the Criminal Bar Association action over Government-set fees for legal aid advocacy work (Kirsty O’Connor/PA)

Here are some of the upcoming strikes and potential disputes over the next few weeks:

– October 7: Hundreds of members of Unite employed as bus drivers in Kent are on strike over pay and conditions. They will also strike on October 10 and 11.

– October 8: Members of the RMT and TSSA unions will strike, with only a fifth of trains set to run as a result.

– October 9: A ballot on whether members of the Criminal Bar Association will end strike action after receiving a pay offer from the Government closes.

– October 10: A decision on whether the barristers will end strike action will be announced.

– October 12: A strike ballot in the Educational Institute of Scotland, Scotland’s largest teaching union, opens.

– October 21: A GMB ballot of 100,000 local government workers closes.

– November 2: A strike ballot of Royal College of Nursing members closes.

– November 11: A strike ballot of Royal College of Midwives members opens.

– Date TBC: A strike ballot of GMB union members in the East Midlands Ambulance Service, and in the West Midlands Ambulance Service, over a pay dispute will be held.