Advertisement Who's going on strike, and when? 22 August 2022 -- Image caption, Commuters at rush hour during a strike on Thursday Thousands of workers across a number of industries are taking, or considering, strike action. Many unions say wages are not keeping pace with the rising cost of living and their members need a pay rise. So who's going on strike, when, and how will it affect you? Railways -- Advertisement No more strike dates have currently been set, but more strikes are very likely, says union boss Mick Lynch after a summer of disrupted travel for passengers. Unions have to give two weeks' notice of any walkout. Strikes in recent weeks left only 20% of trains running on some days and no services in parts of the country - hitting commuters and people travelling to big events such as the Commonwealth Games. -- The chairman of the Criminal Bar Association, Jo Sidhu, speaks during a strike in June Criminal barristers in England and Wales are taking part in an indefinite, uninterrupted strike over an ongoing row with the government over pay, working conditions and legal aid funding. The strike ramped up in September. Before that, barristers were striking on alternate weeks and refused to carry out certain types of work. -- At the end of September, the government made a fresh offer with fee increases for legal aid work. Barristers will now be asked to vote on the proposals and whether to end the strike. During previous days of industrial action between 27 June and 5 August, -- Postal services Workers at Royal Mail have voted for further strike action - after already deciding to walk out on 26 and 31 August, and 8 and 9 September. During strike days, Royal Mail said it would not deliver letters - except for special delivery - and would prioritise Covid tests and prescriptions and deliver as many tracked and special delivery parcels -- The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has asked for a pay rise that reflects the current cost of living. * Which workers are allowed to go on strike? * Criminal barristers vote to go on all-out strike * Strike continues at UK's biggest container port Container ports -- Workers protest outside of the UK's biggest container port in Suffolk A strike at the UK's busiest container port is under way after union members walked out on Sunday for an expected eight-day walkout. -- Telecoms BT and Openreach workers have announced fresh strikes after thousands of staff walked out twice in July in a row over pay. -- Teachers are asking for a 12% pay rise Various teaching unions have planned or threatened to take strike action over disputes on pay and working conditions - with unions calling for a 12% pay rise. NEU members working in sixth form colleges will be walking out on 17 October.. If necessary further strike days will be held on 5 and 20 November. Members of teaching union NASUWT have also warned of a potential vote on strike action after its members in Wales rejected a below-inflation pay rise. -- Unite and the Royal College of Nursing have said that hundreds of thousands of NHS workers will be balloted on strike action in a protest over a salary offer. -- Union leaders similarly warned at the beginning of August that NHS workers in Scotland were prepared to strike over pay - including doctors. -- Image caption, Edinburgh is facing a 12-day waste collection strike Refuse workers across Scotland are striking after unions rejected a pay -- walkouts, including refuse staff in Windsor and Maidenhead. What are the rules for strikes? * A strike can only happen if a majority of union members agree to it via an organised vote, known as a ballot * If workers do decide to take industrial action, the employer must be given 14 days notice, unless otherwise agreed * Police officers are banned from taking strike action and nurses have an agreement that they should only walk out if it does not risk the wellbeing of patients * Workers on strike can expect to lose wages for the time they do not work * People can choose to continue working during a strike The government has recently introduced a new law allowing businesses to -- However, the union Unison says it will mount a legal challenge. Elsewhere in the UK, other strikes and threats have amounted over the summer: * Bus drivers in Kent and Essex are set to strike after turning down a pay offer, but official dates are yet to be set * Journalists at a newspaper group in Scotland have withdrawn plans to strike in a dispute over compulsory redundancies * More than 1,000 council staff in Northern Ireland have walked out over a pay and conditions dispute * Staff at a contact centre in Liverpool which handles thousands of criminal background checks staged a six-day strike Related topics Strike action Related content -- * Trade unions: What are they and who is allowed to strike? 9 December 2022 * Heathrow BA strike suspended after new pay offer 7 July 2022 * Thousands of BT workers vote to strike over pay 30 June 2022