The government is considering deploying the army to help ease possible strike disruption over Christmas, Conservative Party chairman Nadhim Zahawi has confirmed.
Zahawi told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge program on Sunday that military personnel could be “driving ambulances” and working at the UK’s borders under the proposals.
The Conservative Party leader also suggested that pharmacists will be asked to help break NHS strike action, saying “we need to be able to provide safe levels of treatment and support for patients”.
“We have to try to minimize disruptions,” he added.
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The government has said military personnel, civil servants and volunteers are being trained to support a range of services, including the Border Force at airports and ports, amid fears of Christmas chaos.
A No 10 statement said a decision on whether troops would be deployed had yet to be made, but that staff “are part of the range of options available if strike action in these areas goes ahead as was planned.”
The UK is facing a wave of strikes this winter, affecting services including transport, the NHS, education and delivery drivers.
Tens of thousands of people are expected to take industrial action as the UK is gripped by recession and the cost of living crisis.
Zahawi told Sky News that “this is not the time to strike”.
“If you chase inflation or above inflation, in some cases you pay, then you embed inflation for longer and hurt the most vulnerable,” he said.
“In fact, our message to the unions is to say, you know, this is not a time to strike. It’s time to try to negotiate.
“In the absence of that, it is important for the government. It is right and responsible, to have contingency plans.”
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He continued: “We’re looking at the military, we’re looking at a specialized response force … surge capability.”
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2:03 How will the strikes affect companies?
A Cabinet Office statement said around 2,000 military and civil servants are being trained to support a range of services, including the Border Force at airports and ports, in the event of a strike.
They include up to 600 members of the armed forces and 700 members of the government’s specialist Rapid Response Team, as well as other parts of the civil service.
“Decisions have yet to be made on the deployment of troops for these tasks, but they are part of the range of options available should strike action in these areas go ahead as planned,” he said the Cabinet Office in a press notice.
“The priority over the coming weeks is to protect the public who may need access to emergency service support and to limit disruption as much as possible, particularly at a time when increasing numbers of people will be traveling over the festive period and services of the NHS are under a huge amount of pressure due to the impact of COVID.”
Military personnel were previously deployed to drive tankers and deliver COVID shots during the pandemic.
The general secretary and chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing, Pat Cullen, rejected an appeal from Mr. Zahawi for the union to drop its wage claim due to the war in Ukraine.
“Using Russia’s war in Ukraine as justification for a real-time pay cut for nurses in the UK is a new low for this government. The public do not believe this kind of rhetoric and want ministers to address our dispute,” he said.
“Nursing staff can’t pay their food and other bills and are still fearing the worst in energy this winter. But our campaign is about more than today’s cost of living crisis – it’s a cry for help for an NHS that has had a decade of neglect Record numbers of nurses are leaving because they feel undervalued and patients are paying the price.
“Ten days until our strike begins, I reiterate my commitment to meet with ministers to resolve our dispute. Instead of negotiating with nurses, they are choosing to strike.”
Labour’s education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, could not confirm whether her party would increase pay in line with public sector inflation.
She told Sky News her party wants a “fair deal” for workers.