From rail workers to ambulance strikes, here's everything to expect in March

Strikeshave already led to significant disruption across various public sectors, including healthcare, education and travel, and the upcoming March won’t be all about the blooming trees and flowers in Britain.

As earlier talks over pay failed, thousands of workers voted for more industrial action, with unions once again calling for wage increase to keep up with rising prices.

Here are the dates to pay attention to in March.

Wednesday 1 March

• Teachers in Scotland are walking out on the first day of the month. The National Education Unionrejected a government offer of an extra 1.5% pay rise, plus 1.5% as a one-off payment.

Thursday 2 March

• Teachers in England and Wales strike on this day. The government says it has already agreed to an extra £2bn in school funding. But the expectations in regards to the teachers’ pay weren’t met.

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Monday 6 March

• Ambulance workers are striking in England and Wales, though the days vary between different services. They demand an above-inflation pay rise but the government says it is decided by independent pay review bodies and higher ones are unaffordable.

Wednesday 8 March

• Ambulance services in England and Wales walk out for another day of industrial action.

Monday 13 March

• Junior doctors in England will have a 3-day strike over pay Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday that week. The British Medical Association (BMA) said junior doctor roles have seen a pay cut by 26% since 2008 once inflation is taken into account. The government said it was deeply disappointing that some union members have voted to strike.

Tuesday 14 March

• Junior doctors walk out on their second day of the strike.

Wednesday 15 March

• Junior doctors carry on with the third day of the strike.
• About 100,000 civil servants will walk out on this day when the chancellor is also expected to unveil the Spring Budget. The action involves union members across 124 government departments. The Public and Commercial Services union is calling for a 10% pay rise, better pensions, job security and no cuts to redundancy terms. The government says it is in ‘regular discussion with unions and staff’.
• Teachers in England and Wales will strike again on this day unless they come to an agreement earlier in the month.
• London tube drivers are expected to strike on 15 March as part of a dispute over working arrangements and pensions.

Thursday 16 March

• University staff will make a stand on this day. About 70,000 members of the University and College Union (UCU) are striking at 150 universities across the UK. The UCU wants a pay rise worth either 2% above RPI inflation, or 12% pension benefits restored and 'excessive workloads' tackled. An increase in pay puts jobs at risk, the Universities and College Employers Association warns.
• Teachers will walk out for a second day.
• Rail workers are also taking action. Members of the RMT union from 14 train operators and Network Rail, responsible for tracks and bridges, will join the strike. The unions are in dispute with the government and rail companies about pay, job cuts and changes to terms and conditions.

Friday 17 March

• University staff will continue with their industrial action.

Saturday 18 March

• Rail workers will launch a second day of strikes.

Thursday 30 March

• Rail workers are expected to cause disruption on this day.

When do nurses walk out in March?

The next nurses' strike in England was due to happen from 1 to 3 March. However, the Royal College of Nursing called it off to allow for talks with the government over pay and working conditions. The union called for a pay rise of 5% above inflation but indicated it would meet the government halfway.

In Scotland, strikes have also been put on hold to allow for talks.

Who else will strike in March?

Firefighters - The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) - voted to strike and said it wanted 'a credible offer' after members rejected a 5% pay increase.

After receiving an offer of 7% backdated to July 2022, the FBU has postponed the announcement of strike dates pending the result of a new members' ballot. According to the FBU, members have experienced a 12% drop in real-terms earnings since 2010.

Postal workers are also likely to strike in March. Royal Mail has offered a pay deal it says is worth up to 9% over 18 months - but the Communication Workers Union (CWU) wants more, given the rate of inflation. The CWU also objects to proposed changes to working conditions, including compulsory Sunday working.

Have any disputes been resolved?

A wave of strikes offers success stories as some workers have settled disputes.

Criminal barristers in England and Wales accepted a 15% pay rise in October.

2,000 Arrivabus drivers in London won an 11% pay deal.

A series of strikes involving 1,800 bus drivers in London employed by Abellio ended after the workers accepted a 'greatly improved' pay offer.

Some BT workers agreed on a pay deal worth up to 16%.

Health workers who are members of Unite and Unison in Scotland - including some paramedics, nurses, midwives and support staff - accepted a 7.5% pay deal in December.

Does the public support strike action?

Public support for strike action varies widely between different industries, a poll carried out by YouGov in January suggests.

For example, the poll found nearly two in three people (65%) supported the nurses' strike - with ambulance workers backed by a similar number. However, only about one in three people (36%) backed university staff strikes.

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Sources used:

- BBC News: 'Strike dates: Who is striking when and what pay do they want?'