Unions threaten ‘waves of industrial action’ over UK cost of living crisis

British unions are threatening a wave of coordinated industrial strike action in the coming weeks as millions of low-paid workers are reeling from the cost of living crisis.

The move, which includes the two biggest unions, Unison and Unite, comes as the British government fails to agree to a detailed package to help families, as the average gas and electricity bills are to rise by 80 percent.

On Friday, the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) revealed a distressing 80 percent hike in electricity and gas bills, bearing testimony to the country’s exacerbating cost of living crisis.

The UK’s energy bills are set to jump to an average of £3,549 ($4,188) per year from October, Ofgem announced.

Ofgem warned that the “crisis” needed to be tackled through urgent and decisive government measures.

Noting that the price hike would have a “massive impact” on households across the country, Ofgem CEO Jonathan Brearley warned of yet another likely increase in January, reflecting significant pricing pressure in energy markets.

Brearley claimed that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine is causing the turbulence in the UK energy market and soaring gas prices.

Meanwhile, Unison has demanded that the minimum wage be raised “at least in line with inflation” which is now 10.1% .

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) has also said that the minimum wage in Britain must be placed at £15 per hour to help millions of low-paid workers to cope with big jump in energy bills and living costs.

The minimum wage is now set at £9.50 for those aged 23 and over, with lower rates for those who are younger.

With inflation soaring to the highest level in 40 years, the union body insists that the government should draw up plans to get wages rising.

Frances O’Gady, the general secretary of the TUC, said, “Millions of low-paid workers live wage packet to wage packet, struggling to get by – and they are now being pushed to the brink by eye-watering bills and soaring prices.”

Football League clubs struggling 

The UK's football league clubs have also said the hike in energy prices will force some clubs out of business. Forest Green Rovers owner Dale Vince has called on the government to act as rising energy costs will have a serious impact on EFL and non-League clubs.

Government sources have revealed that the likely winner of the Conservative leadership contest, Liz Truss, will hold an emergency budget while giving priority to tax cuts to help people and businesses with the skyrocketing energy costs.

Soaring energy prices coupled with runaway inflation have put the livelihood of Europeans under heavy constraints after the Europeans severed their energy ties with Russia, the main supplier of natural gas to Europe, over the Ukraine conflict, triggering a dire economic crisis on the continent.

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