# Factbox-Strikes, protests in Europe over cost of living and pay Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-11-14 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: UK Strikes and Protests Due to High Energy Prices and Living Costs Meta Description: Stay informed about the latest industrial actions and demonstrations in European countries due to high energy prices and mounting costs of living. Learn more URL: https://financedigest.com/factbox-strikes-protests-in-europe-over-cost-of-living-and-pay-3html ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-11-07t135515z4lynxmpeia60f6rtroptp4ukraine-crisis-europe-inflation-1-1736814867217-compressed.jpg) (Reuters) -European countries are facing strikes and protests due to high energy prices and mounting costs of living. Here are details of some recent and current industrial actions and demonstrations. BRITAIN \\* More than 70,000 university staff at 150 British universities will [strike for three days in November over pay](https://www.financedigest.com/in-inflation-hit-germany-massive-strike-over-pay-to-cripple-transport.html "In inflation-hit Germany, massive strike over pay to cripple transport"), working conditions and pensions, the University and College Union (UCU) said on Nov. 8. \\* Workers at British packaging group DS Smith, whose customers include Amazon, have voted overwhelmingly to go on strike in a dispute over pay, the GMB union said on Nov. 7. \\* [Nurses in Britain will go on strike](https://www.financedigest.com/britain-braces-for-winter-of-strike-action-as-nurses-walk-out.html "Britain braces for winter of strike action as nurses walk out"), the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said on Nov. 5, adding that its members had faced a decade of real-terms [pay cuts and that the ballot over the last four weeks](https://www.financedigest.com/spain-offers-to-pay-companies-testing-a-4-day-work-week.html "Spain offers to pay companies testing a 4-day work week") was the biggest in its 106-year history. \\* Three days of strikes by tens of [thousands of British rail workers planned for this week](https://www.financedigest.com/meta-plans-to-cut-thousands-of-jobs-as-soon-as-this-week-bloomberg-news.html "Meta plans to cut thousands of jobs as soon as this week – Bloomberg News") were suspended while “intensive negotiations” are held in a long-running dispute over pay and working conditions, the RMT trade union said on Nov. 4. The smaller TSSA [union said it had also called off planned strikes](https://www.financedigest.com/ita-airways-averts-strike-after-wage-increase-accord-with-unions.html "ITA Airways averts strike after wage increase accord with unions") for Nov. 5, 7, 8 and 9 to hold talks with bosses from [Network Rail and other service operators](https://www.financedigest.com/how-can-network-operators-monetise-television-quickly-and-effectively.html "How can network operators monetise television quickly and effectively?"). A separate [strike by London Underground staff](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-airports-face-christmas-disruption-as-border-staff-to-strike.html "UK airports face Christmas disruption as border staff to strike") is planned for Nov. 10. \\* Hundreds of workers at London’s Heathrow airport will walk out in the run-up to the soccer [World Cup](https://www.financedigest.com/soccer-englands-houghton-will-keep-knocking-the-door-for-the-world-cup.html "Soccer-England’s Houghton will keep ‘knocking the door’ for the World Cup") this month over demands for better pay, Britain’s Unite union said on Nov. 4. The 700 workers – involved in ground-handling, airside transport and cargo, and employed by Emirates Group’s airport services subsidiary dnata and Menzies – will strike for three days starting from Nov. 18, Unite said. \\* Britain’s biggest domestic bank Lloyds has offered UK staff a minimum 2,000 pounds ($2,242) [pay rise](https://www.financedigest.com/unicredit-shareholders-urged-to-reject-ceo-orcels-pay-rise.html "UniCredit shareholders urged to reject CEO Orcel’s pay rise"), a source with knowledge of the talks told Reuters on Nov. 3, as lenders and employees across the sector begin annual [pay talks that could see](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-employers-see-slight-fall-in-pay-awards-over-2023-xperthr.html "UK employers see slight fall in pay awards over 2023 – XpertHR") wage bills soar. \\* A British workers’ union said on Nov. 2 it had secured a 10% pay increase for more than 900 bus workers in East London from bus operator Stagecoach Group amid a surge in [cost of living](https://www.financedigest.com/5-ways-to-support-your-employees-during-the-cost-of-living-crisis.html "5 ways to support your employees during the cost of living crisis "). \\* Britain’s Royal Mail on Nov. 1 said members of its largest labour union, the Communication Workers Union (CWU), will conduct two 48-hour [strikes in late November and early December](https://www.financedigest.com/uks-december-shopper-numbers-defy-inflation-and-rail-strikes-hit.html "UK’s December shopper numbers defy inflation and rail strikes hit"), in the run-up to Christmas. \\* A British workers union said on Nov. 1 it had [secured a 12.5% pay deal](https://www.financedigest.com/incentive-fm-secures-new-deal-with-dollar-uk.html "Incentive FM Secures New Deal with Dollar UK") for 1,000 beer delivery drivers from logistics company GXO, cancelling strikes that were planned in the run-up to the soccer World Cup finals. \\* [British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was challenged by an elderly patient](https://www.financedigest.com/british-doctors-strikes-risk-patient-safety-minister-says.html "British doctors’ strikes risk patient safety, minister says") at a London hospital on Oct. 28 who told him it was “a pity” the [government did not pay nurses more and he must “try](https://www.financedigest.com/factbox-how-governments-are-trying-to-ease-inflation-pain.html "Factbox-How governments are trying to ease inflation pain") harder. The largest [nursing union has begun voting on taking strike](https://www.financedigest.com/british-nurses-to-stage-first-strikes-on-dec-15-20.html "British nurses to stage first strikes on Dec. 15, 20") action in a dispute over pay which is lagging soaring inflation, the biggest ballot in its 106-year history. FRANCE \\* A [strike was continuing](https://www.financedigest.com/volkswagen-strikes-below-inflation-wage-deal-continues-german-trend.html "Volkswagen strikes below-inflation wage deal, continues German trend") at TotalEnergies’ Feyzin oil refinery in northern France, a CGT power union official told Reuters on Nov. 4. \\* [Supply at French petrol stations was returning](https://www.financedigest.com/uks-j-d-wetherspoon-returns-to-profit-as-supply-issues-ease.html "UK’s J D Wetherspoon returns to profit as supply issues ease") to normal, Energy Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher said, with fewer than 10% still having problems. \\* Around 45% of France’s oil refining capacity remained offline on Nov. 2 following strike action last month, but supply was set to improve, with one major refinery back on stream and another due to return to full capacity by the end of the week. \\* France’s EDF said on Oct. 27 it had formally [signed a wage agreement](https://www.financedigest.com/adnami-signs-agreements-with-schibsted-and-amedia-to-deliver-high-impact-ads-with-unparalleled-reach-across-the-nordics.html "Adnami signs agreements with Schibsted and Amedia to deliver high impact ads with unparalleled reach across the Nordics") for its workers in the country with all unions present at the company. GERMANY \\* Unions across [Europe’s biggest economy are demanding higher wages in light of rising](https://www.financedigest.com/analysis-rate-rises-pile-pain-on-sme-firms-in-u-s-and-europe.html "Analysis-Rate rises pile pain on SME firms in U.S. and Europe") inflation. \\* [German trade union IG Metal Kueste said it had called on several thousand workers to strike on Tuesday at 15 sites](https://www.financedigest.com/ford-to-make-call-on-europe-job-cuts-by-mid-feb-as-buyers-circle-german-site.html "Ford to make call on Europe job cuts by mid-Feb as buyers circle German site"), including Airbus in Hamburg. \\* Lufthansa and the UFO union have reached an agreement to increase the salaries of 19,000 cabin crew members, the German flagship airline said. \\* German carmaker Audi is in favour of offering employees one-off tax-free payments instead of permanent [wage increases](https://www.financedigest.com/greece-to-increase-minimum-wage-again-before-election.html "Greece to increase minimum wage again, before election"), its human resources director said. SPAIN \\* Thousands of Spaniards packed Madrid’s landmark Plaza Mayor square on Nov. 3 to demand higher pay, in the country’s first mass protest since the start of the [cost of living crisis](https://www.financedigest.com/indefensible-uks-sunak-under-fire-over-response-to-cost-of-living-crisis.html "‘Indefensible’: UK’s Sunak under fire over response to cost of living crisis"). \\* Workers at Azul Handling, the ground handling company servicing Ryanair in 22 Spanish airports, called off a plan to hold several 24-hour strikes between Oct. 28 and Jan. 8 to demand better working conditions, union USO said on Oct. 28. \\* Hundreds of truck drivers belonging to the unofficial Platform for the Defence of Transport, who brought Spain to a halt earlier this year, began a new strike on Nov. 14, demanding [changes to road freight rules](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-watchdog-warns-crypto-firms-to-prepare-for-advertising-rule-change.html "UK watchdog warns crypto firms to prepare for advertising rule change") and protesting the cost of living. Following a similar, highly disruptive strike in April, the truckers obtained a 1 billion euro ($1.03 billion) package that included rebates on the price of diesel fuel and a 1,200-euro cash bonus, but say the rebates have been overtaken by the [rise in fuel prices since](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-firms-plan-biggest-pay-rises-since-2012-to-fill-staff-gaps.html "UK firms plan biggest pay rises since 2012 to fill staff gaps") then. PORTUGAL \\* Workers at Volkswagen’s Autoeuropa [car plant – one of Portugal’s top](https://www.financedigest.com/top-luxury-car-brands-in-the-world.html "Top luxury car brands in the world") exporters – will go on strike in the first two hours of each of the four shifts on Nov. 17 and 18 to [demand an extraordinary pay rise due to galloping inflation](https://www.financedigest.com/aussie-supermarkets-set-to-capitalise-on-high-inflation-but-softer-demand-ahead.html "Aussie supermarkets set to capitalise on high inflation, but softer demand ahead"), and unions do not rule out widening the strike if their demands are not met. The company is only [offering a one-off payment of 400 euros](https://www.financedigest.com/big-fall-in-euro-zone-inflation-offers-little-help-for-ecb.html "Big fall in euro zone inflation offers little help for ECB") ($402) in November. AUSTRIA Austrian metal workers secured on Nov. 4 an annual pay rise of more than 7% on average, above the 6.3% [inflation rate](https://www.financedigest.com/german-inflation-rate-to-ease-over-course-of-2023-econ-minister.html "German inflation rate to ease over course of 2023 – econ minister") for the negotiating period. The negotiations are seen as a bellwether for other sectors in Austria, which has a strong tradition of collective bargaining and [annual negotiated pay increases](https://www.financedigest.com/coca-cola-hbcs-annual-profit-beats-warns-of-price-increases.html "Coca-Cola HBC’s annual profit beats, warns of price increases") that generally avert the threat of strikes. (Compiled by Catherine EvansEditing by Bill Berkrot) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---