What is behind the UK’s ‘summer of strikes’?

Workers in the United Kingdom have launched some of their most disruptive industrial action in years.

With living costs hitting a 40-year high, they want more pay and better conditions. Tens of thousands of transport staff, postal employees, rubbish collectors and even lawyers have walked off the job.

And for the first time in 30 years, dock workers also went on strike at the UK’s largest container port. Health workers and teachers are among those threatening to strike soon.

Trade unions accuse business leaders of putting profits ahead of employees but the government says union bosses are holding the country to ransom.

Will they be able to find a compromise?

Presenter: Laura Kyle

Guests:

Stephen Cotton – general secretary, International Transport Workers’ Federation

Pushpin Singh – economist, Centre for Economic and Business Research

Giles Kenningham – founder, Trafalgar Strategy; former head of press No 10 Downing Street