UK braces for strikes by rail workers, nurses

Much of Britain came to a halt on Tuesday as a result of widespread travel disruption caused by a combination of cold weather and strikes on the railways.

Nurses are also planning to take industrial action twice this month in a dispute over pay. Railway workers who are part of the RMT union are staging the first of four 48-hour walkouts set to take place in December and January.

Railway workers are only one of several groups taking strike action this month, alongside nurses, airport border staff, paramedics and postal workers. Labour unrest has spread across both public and private sector workplaces as employees seek pay raises to keep up with inflation that has hit 11.1%, driven by soaring prices for energy and food. Nurses are due to strike on Thursday and again on 20th December.