All strikes planned for February 2023 – from trains to teachers

Once January’s strikes have come and gone, more will follow in February.

Yep, a number of unions across various industries have announced intentions to take industrial action throughout the second month of 2023.

Expect widespread walkouts on February 1 – aka the TUC’s national ‘protect the right to strike’ day – in protest of the government’s draft Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill.

But there are plenty more dates planned for teachers, nurses and train drivers to take to picket lines.

So, here are all the strikes happening in February, and the dates to be aware of.

Train drivers’ strikes

Train drivers are striking on Wednesday, February 1 and Friday, February 3.

The action is being taken by Aslef, with drivers from union RMT also hitting the picket lines.

It’s set to affect 17 train companies, including Avanti West Coast, London North Eastern Railway (LNER), Southeastern, Southern, Thameslink, and the Gatwick Express.

These strikes are part of the ongoing dispute between unions and rail bosses over pay, jobs and terms and conditions.

Find out more about the upcoming February train strikes here

Nurses’ strikes in England and Wales

Following December and January walkouts, tens of thousands of nurses in trusts across England and Wales are due to strike on Monday, February 6 and Tuesday, February 7.

The walkouts involve Royal College of Nursing (RCN) members, in a dispute over pay for nursing staff, amid concerns over staff shortages.

There is no nursing strike in Scotland at the time of writing, as the Scottish government has agreed to negotiate with the RCN, and the union adds in its FAQs: ‘Our mandate for strike action in Northern Ireland remains and further action is under consideration.’

Find the full list of areas affected on RCN’s Strike Hub

Separately, thousands of NHS Physiotherapy staff with the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy union are due to strike on Thursday, February 9.

Health and social care workers’ strikes in Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, at least 4,000 health and social care workers are set to strike, again over a pay dispute.

The industrial action, by Unite and other trade unions, is set to take place on Thursday, February 16 and Friday, February 17, followed by Thursday, February 23 and Friday, February 24.

Find out more on Unite’s website

Civil Service staff strike

Around 100,000 workers in the Civil Service and ‘related areas’ are due to strike on Wednesday, February 1.

The workers – with the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS) – are striking to fight for ‘a 10% pay rise, pensions justice, job security and no cuts to redundancy terms’. 

Action is due to affect 123 employers, including the Cabinet Office, DVLA and DVSA, Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Home Office, and various museums.

Find out more on the PCS website

Teacher strikes in England, Wales and Scotland

February will see numerous walkouts by teachers across most of the UK.

In England and Wales, teachers with the National Education Union (NEU) will head to picket lines on three dates in February:

• Wednesday, February 1 – England and Wales
• Tuesday, February 14 – Wales
• Tuesday, February 28 – in regions Northern, North West, Yorkshire & The Humber.

Subsequent dates are also pencilled in for March, including national strikes on March 15 and March 16.

Over in Scotland, regional strikes have been happening throughout January, with more to come on:

• Wednesday, February 1 – Clackmannanshire, Aberdeen
• Thursday, February 2 – Dundee, Argyll and Bute
• Friday, February 3 – South Lanarkshire, Western Isles
• Monday, February 6 – Inverclyde, Shetland
• Tuesday, February 28 – Scotland.

A Scotland-wide strike will continue the next day, March 1, and regional strikes are to follow in March and April.

The latter dates have yet to be announced by Education Institute of Scotland (EIS), Scotland’s major teaching union.

As with other strikes, the dispute in all three countries is primarily over pay, with the NEU also expressing concern about the large number of teachers leaving the profession.

Teachers past and present have also spoken out to Metro.co.uk about their ever-growing workloads, and facing burn out and mental health challenges in their jobs.

Find out more about the upcoming teacher strikes – and how to know if your child’s school could close

University staff strike

More than 70,000 staff working at 150 universities will strike on Wednesday, February 1.

The University and College Union (UCU) says the dispute is over ‘pay, pensions and working conditions’ – with further dates still to be announced for February and March.

Universities in all four corners of the UK will be affected by the strike, according to the UCU’s list of institutions.

Find out more on UCU’s website

MORE : When are the teacher strike dates and could schools close? Full list

MORE : Rail workers, university lecturers, teachers and civil servants all set to strike on February 1

MORE : Striking ambulance workers feel ‘betrayed and demonised’, union says

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