Strikes update: How Monday 20 February’s walkouts will affect youon February 20, 2023 at 7:45 am

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What you need to know about ambulance and Border Force workers’ strikes, by the BBC’s Zoe Conway.

Zoe Conway striking ambulances composite picture

Strikes by health workers in England and Wales are set to intensify over the coming weeks. More NHS staff, at more trusts, are joining the dispute.

On Monday, ambulance workers are walking out of the ambulance trust in Wales and seven of the ten ambulance trusts in England.

Two unions are involved – Unite and the GMB. Members of Unite will then continue their ambulance strike in Wales on Tuesday and Wednesday.

In Scotland, where all health strikes are suspended, a new pay offer of 14% over two years is now on the table.

The strike by Border Force officials at Dover, Calais, Dunkirk and the Coquelles Channel Tunnel Terminal lasts until Monday morning – it’s expected to end at around 07:00 GMT. The Home Office is warning travellers to expect disruption.

You can read more or watch this report about why people are taking strike action, and below you can find information on how it could affect you.

Upcoming strike action

Border Force

  • Border Force staff at the Port of Calais, Port of Dunkirk, Coquelles Channel Tunnel Terminal and the Port of Dover are taking industrial action
  • The strike only affects international inbound travel to the UK

Ambulance staff

  • Ambulance staff in the Unite union in Wales and several regions of England are on strike
  • The strike affects non-life threatening calls only and people are advised to use the 999 service in an emergency

Read more: Why are ambulance staff striking?

Border Force

  • Border Force staff at the Port of Calais, Port of Dunkirk, Coquelles Channel Tunnel Terminal and the Port of Dover are taking industrial action
  • The strike only affects international inbound travel to the UK only
  • The industrial action is due to end at around 07:00 GMT

Ambulance staff

  • Ambulance staff in the Unite union in Wales are on strike
  • The strike affects non-life threatening calls only and people are advised to use the 999 service in an emergency

Read more: Why are ambulance staff striking?

Teachers in Northern Ireland

  • The majority of teachers in Northern Ireland are holding a half-day strike
  • Many schools across the country are not expected to open until after midday

Read more: NI teachers to walk out for half a day

Ambulance staff

  • Ambulance staff in the Unite union in Wales and the North West region of England are on strike
  • The strike affects non-life threatening calls only and people are advised to use the 999 service in an emergency

Read more: Why are ambulance staff striking?

There are currently no national strikes planned for this date

There are currently no national strikes planned for this date

There are currently no national strikes planned for this date

There are currently no national strikes planned for this date

There are currently no national strikes planned for this date

There are currently no national strikes planned for this date

Nurses in England

  • Members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) are taking industrial action over pay
  • For the first time, the strike will involved some nursing staff working in emergency departments, intensive care units, cancer care and other services that were previously exempted.

Read more: Why are nurses striking?

Nurses in England

  • Members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) are taking industrial action over pay
  • For the first time, the strike will involved some nursing staff working in emergency departments, intensive care units, cancer care and other services that were previously exempted.

Read more: Why are nurses striking?

Teachers in Wales

  • Teachers in Wales who are members of the National Education Union are taking industrial action over pay
  • It is expected that hundreds of schools will be affected

Read more: Teachers reject pay offer

Nurses in England

  • Members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) are taking industrial action over pay
  • For the first time, the strike will involved some nursing staff working in emergency departments, intensive care units, cancer care and other services that were previously exempted.
  • Strike action will end at 06:00GMT

Read more: Why are nurses striking?

There are currently no national strikes planned for this date

There are currently no national strikes planned for this date

Ambulance staff

  • Ambulance staff in the GMB and Unite unions in several regional services across England and from Unite in Wales are on strike
  • The strike affects non-life threatening calls only and people are advised to use the 999 service in an emergency

Read more: Why are ambulance staff striking?

There are currently no national strikes planned for this date

There are currently no national strikes planned for this date

There are currently no national strikes planned for this date

There are currently no national strikes planned for this date

There are currently no national strikes planned for this date

There are currently no national strikes planned for this date

Which ambulance staff are striking?

Ambulance staff in the Unite and GMB unions in Wales and several regions of England are striking on Monday.

The strike affects calls that are not life-threatening only and people are advised to call 999 in an emergency.

Ambulances will still be sent to the most life-threatening calls – known as Category 1, which includes cardiac arrests.

Patients that need time-critical treatment, such as kidney or cancer care, will also be transported.

Less urgent calls – known as Category 2, which includes some strokes and major burns – might have to wait longer than usual for an ambulance.

  • Call 999 If you are seriously ill or injured, or your life is in danger
  • For all other healthcare needs, contact the 111 helpline, your local GP or pharmacy
  • Attend appointments as planned. The NHS has said it will contact anyone whose appointment has to be rescheduled due to the strike
Strikes calendar

Border Force strikes

On Monday, Border Force staff are ending their four-day strike at around 07:00 GMT.

The strike only affects international inbound travel to the UK, and there could be knock-on disruption after the strike ends.

The PCS union expected 1,000 of its members at the ports of Calais, Dunkirk and Dover, and the Coquelles Channel Tunnel Terminal, to walk out over the four days.

Military personnel and civil servants were trained to step in and carry out border checks, although military personnel were not sent to France.

Nevertheless, the government had warned people should prepare their families for longer waiting times at border control.

People should use e-gates where possible, and check with operators before travelling, it said.

On Saturday, coach passengers returning to the UK were facing queues of more than six hours at border checkpoints in Calais, although the Home Office rejected claims that the strikes were having an impact on waiting times.

Additional reporting by Noor Nanji

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How are you affected by the strikes? Are you taking part in strike action? You can email: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:

If you are reading this page and can’t see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

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