Britain Alerts The Military To Volunteers Amid The Threat Of Strikes Of Public Services Ahead Of Christmas

British military illustration. (Wikimedia Commons/MoD/RAF/Corporal Andrew Morris)

JAKARTA - Hundreds of British troops were alerted as ambulance crews, firefighters and Border Forces staff prepared strikes across public services ahead of Christmas.

About 2,000 military personnel, civil servants, and other volunteers from across the government have been trained as part of emergency planning, the Cabinet Office said.

This includes up to 600 armed forces personnel and 700 staff from the government's Surge and Rapid Response Team, as well as from other parts of Civil Service.

Conservative Party chairman Nadhim Zahawi said it was a "right and responsible thing to do" as ministers sought to minimize public disturbances, citing The National News Dec. 5.

But he 'provoked' an angry response from the union after linking the strike to war in Ukraine, saying it was "as Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to see".

"We are ahead of Christmas," he told the BBC.

"In my view, it's unfair for unions to really damage and destabilize people's lives and livelihoods at Christmas."

"They have to really rethink and they have to reflect on this, because that's what Putin (President) wants to see, that split," he said.

Secretary-general and chief executive of Royal College of Nursing PatMITom angeredly denounced the statement "as a new low stance for the government".

"The public doesn't believe in this kind of rhetoric and wants ministers to address our disputes,"▁faktor said.

"The nurse left because she felt underestimated and the patient felt the impact," he said.

Meanwhile, Secretary General of Unite Sharon Graham said Zahawi's attempt to describe the nurse and ambulance driver as "sekutu Vladimir Putin" was "connominal as well as embarrassing".

"Instead of running our NHS (National Health Service) in self-adverse measures and threatening to bring the military in, the minister should ask himself why health staff are leaving in droves," Graham said.

As for Sara Gorton, head of health at the Unison union, said: "Instead of taking responsibility for trying to resolve the increasing staffing crisis, ministers want to increase rhetoric and fight with ambulance workers and their NHS counterparts."

"This will not match the public," he said.

It is known, trade unions in all public services are preparing to strike or vote on their members' salaries, as they seek to ease pressure on living standards from soaring inflation.

In addition to ambulance staff, nurses in NHS will carry out a two-day strike this month, while junior doctors will also be selected for industrial action.

It is expected that there will be widespread transportation disruptions ahead of Christmas with further train strikes, strikes by baggage officers at Heathrow and possible action by Border Forces staff.

Meanwhile, the Fire Brigade Union selected its members and the industry action continued in the Royal Mail.

The Cabinet office said no decision had yet been made on troop deliveries, but they would be part of "various options available" if the strike went according to plan.

Zahawi said while he was "absolutely aware" of how difficult it is for many workers, the country is unable to pay inflation or a salary award above inflation.

He said the price hike was driven by higher energy costs due to Russia's war in Ukraine, as he appealed to unions to drop their demands.

"To ask for a 19 percent (for nurses) salary increase that will cost NHS 10 billion, I think is the wrong thing to do right now," he told Sky News.

"If you receive all the inflation rate salary increases, it's around 28 billion. Each household costs less than 1,000."

"It's not sustainable when we try to be fiscally disciplined and control inflation."