{"id":782778,"date":"2022-08-26T13:39:46","date_gmt":"2022-08-26T13:39:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thecanary.co\/?p=1618686"},"modified":"2022-08-26T13:39:46","modified_gmt":"2022-08-26T13:39:46","slug":"strikes-across-the-uk-as-regulator-lifts-energy-price-cap-by-80","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2022\/08\/26\/strikes-across-the-uk-as-regulator-lifts-energy-price-cap-by-80\/","title":{"rendered":"Strikes across the UK as regulator lifts energy price cap by 80%"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-beyondwords-player=\"true\" contenteditable=\"false\"><\/div>\n<p>A new wave of strikes are underway across the UK. From postal workers to barristers, organised labour is turning out on picket lines against the backdrop of looming energy cost hikes. Workers across the UK are fighting back by withdrawing labour, sharing their experiences and, on one occasion, surfing around ports at high speed!<\/p>\n<p>The strikes come as Don&#8217;t Pay, which is campaigning to encourage people to refuse to pay extortionate energy bills, reported an 80% hike had been nodded through by regulator Ofgem:<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"dnk1B3uatGqHbqswS6jlM0cpfvAEKe9dKfoF6vFn8yX242VDLBwiUgHrtOzGI5IYo\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/13.0.1\/72x72\/1f6a8.png\" alt=\"\ud83d\udea8\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\" \/> BREAKING | Ofgem lifts Britain&#39;s energy price cap to \u00a33,549, an increase of 80%!<\/p>\n<p>It&#39;s time to rise up and fight in our millions to take direct action &#8211; strike! <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/RYOlAVpjfL\">https:\/\/t.co\/RYOlAVpjfL<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/dontpayuk?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#dontpayuk<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Don&#39;t Pay. (@dontpayuk) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/dontpayuk\/status\/1563045780558327809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 26, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Don&#8217;t Pay&#8217;s East London branch also announced a protest at Canary Wharf for Saturday 27 August:<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"ho8bz9d2EDsn0K6FVMqDjUoi74CPLnJcZskr30Ktt2mrc745JglpaUMlaTQyjYRTqOyXWVfIfkzmv5SbGxvueBQLiAZuR8pSXI1\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/13.0.1\/72x72\/1f4e2.png\" alt=\"\ud83d\udce2\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\" \/> London demo 6pm tomorrow outside Ofgem HQ, Canary Wharf <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/13.0.1\/72x72\/2b07.png\" alt=\"\u2b07\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\" \/> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/iNjo30Gddi\">https:\/\/t.co\/iNjo30Gddi<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Dont Pay East London (@dontpayeastLDN) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/dontpayeastLDN\/status\/1562824784580268035?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 25, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span><\/p>\n<p>The hikes emphasise how important bottom-up resistance is right now. And, a number of unions are taking action as we speak.<\/p>\n<h2>Posties for the win<\/h2>\n<p>Postal workers are striking as part of the Communication Workers Union over pay. Royal Mail bosses have been paying themselves massive bonuses, even as the cost of living crisis has ramped up:<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"muWbwaVz3OBYs6l5okI1CUcHDjGXT2fp8Avehd\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Royal Mail made a \u00a3758 million profit last year<\/p>\n<p>There are 115,000 postal workers on strike today<\/p>\n<p>Royal Mail used to be publicly owned not for profit<\/p>\n<p>That profit would be enough to give every striking worker over \u00a36,500<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/isupportmypostie?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#isupportmypostie<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/StandByYourPost?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#StandByYourPost<\/a> Solidarity <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CWUnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@CWUnews<\/a> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/13.0.1\/72x72\/270a.png\" alt=\"\u270a\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Andrew Fisher (@FisherAndrew79) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/FisherAndrew79\/status\/1563074551067869187?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 26, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span><\/p>\n<p>CWU general secretary Dave Ward challenged bosses to debate him on the issues live on TV:<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"WvqZnLjlBO6KCh7VNv4gsFMGoQaXSbyBtNmr231JT3wipM8f0ChpwcdH7fkYrEKRjz6IX8s\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Come on then, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RoyalMail?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@RoyalMail<\/a> &#8211; let\u2019s have a live debate <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/StandByYourPost?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#StandByYourPost<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/ZbWtZ9Jpda\">pic.twitter.com\/ZbWtZ9Jpda<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; The CWU (@CWUnews) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/CWUnews\/status\/1563075612256124928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 26, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Barrister strike<\/h2>\n<p>Unusually, barristers have also gone out on strike. Traditionally seen as comfortable professionals, barristers have increasingly been forced to work unsustainable hours. Because their work is, in essence, freelance, the hours mean their pay is extremely poor in some cases:<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"kseGRI2VyCMcYaA90ronluxQqpXDOTtWZ5LJwvg\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Barristers who work in our criminal courts have voted for an all out strike on 5 September. This is historic, and necessary.<\/p>\n<p>This strike is about protecting *YOUR* rights, whether you know it or not.<\/p>\n<p>Here is why you should care:<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Rabah Kherbane (@RabahKherbane) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RabahKherbane\/status\/1562764072340590592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 25, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"7bAU263TMijc8rXFEdyUXflLRNYS9JE8OzmoxWfIwvD5g1pAq7GL4saBGVexwFKOhK\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The stakes are high. <\/p>\n<p>Yet in their first few years of practice, specialist criminal barristers who both prosecute and defend in our criminal courts are earning less than \u00a313,000 a year.<\/p>\n<p>Stick it out for the first few years, then? <\/p>\n<p>Not quite. <\/p>\n<p>On legal aid,<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Rabah Kherbane (@RabahKherbane) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RabahKherbane\/status\/1562764085829447683?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 25, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"ASDuzQILRs63xmPhaXqTrJ1otUZl09GHevgpkcf7ByMCY2NW4bOFnKidV\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The rates are set by the Government, and in real terms earnings have suffered a 28% cut over the last two decades. <\/p>\n<p>Due to these working conditions, the system has lost a quarter of its specialist criminal barristers over the last five years. <\/p>\n<p>This attrition rate is<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Rabah Kherbane (@RabahKherbane) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RabahKherbane\/status\/1562764093554958337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 25, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span><\/p>\n<p>One barrister took the time to write this useful thread on working conditions in her profession:<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"M\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/13.0.1\/72x72\/1f9f5.png\" alt=\"\ud83e\uddf5\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\" \/>time <\/p>\n<p>A family member asked me the other day about why criminal barristers were on strike. They didn\u2019t understand it but we\u2019re genuinely interested.<\/p>\n<p>I tried to explain it to them and as I thought about it and gave them this example, I felt compelled to write it down. <\/p>\n<p>\/1<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Katherine White (@katherine_hw) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/katherine_hw\/status\/1562858943575052288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 25, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"cjKqmvJ53QbLkXE9eoOa\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Criminal barristers are not \u201cfat cats\u201d. I don\u2019t sit at home drinking champagne. <br \/>I frequently work through the night on cases to help cover cases for colleagues. <\/p>\n<p>The system is broken and unless there is investment across the board, it is going to implode. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TheYoungCBA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@TheYoungCBA<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>\/END<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Katherine White (@katherine_hw) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/katherine_hw\/status\/1562859005227466753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 25, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Labour&#8217;s latest clanger<\/h2>\n<p>The Labour Party&#8217;s policy proposals for dealing with the economy have been found to be basically useless. Full Fact reported that the party&#8217;s energy bill proposals <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecanary.co\/trending\/2022\/08\/26\/labour-has-screwed-up-its-whole-energy-price-cap-policy\/\"  rel=\"noopener\">did not account for, of all things, winter<\/a>:<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"UQz8T1PVjsuOnlZfeyKqiYBEktHxImbGW9DLMg7AJRv5FrN6\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Labour\u2019s \u201cfully funded\u201d energy bills plan does not pledge enough money to cover a freeze in the price cap.<\/p>\n<p>The party failed to take account of most customers\u2019 higher gas and electricity consumption during the winter in its calculations. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/mx55C8Sd8c\">https:\/\/t.co\/mx55C8Sd8c<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Full Fact (@FullFact) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/FullFact\/status\/1563043569744707584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 26, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Another moment of excellence from Keir Starmer and his cronies.<\/p>\n<p>While Labour flaps, the port of Felixstowe was also closed down by a strike this week:<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"JkySxWVwsaeRTUl8cvMh3BZLqp0ATzLGnBdbNjv6nN4b49IeitH073SwmMPclOpEuxo2iHDf1zakutIfXC1G\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/13.0.1\/72x72\/1f1ec-1f1e7.png\" alt=\"\ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\" \/>The largest port in the UK has stopped working<\/p>\n<p>Britain&#39;s largest container port, Felixstowe, has all but come to a standstill after 1,900 Unite union members walked off the job for eight days following failed wage negotiations<\/p>\n<p>first strike of port workers in the UK since 1989 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/3GItIVhBFV\">pic.twitter.com\/3GItIVhBFV<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; AZ <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/13.0.1\/72x72\/1f6f0.png\" alt=\"\ud83d\udef0\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/13.0.1\/72x72\/1f30f.png\" alt=\"\ud83c\udf0f\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/13.0.1\/72x72\/1f30d.png\" alt=\"\ud83c\udf0d\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/13.0.1\/72x72\/1f30e.png\" alt=\"\ud83c\udf0e\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\" \/> (@AZmilitary1) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AZmilitary1\/status\/1562821020297269250?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 25, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span><\/p>\n<p>And one genius worker decided to do a lap of the port on a powered surfboard while flying the flag of his union Unite:<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"1iocphrJMjgCnATGkl89q\"><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">A striking docker at Felixstowe laps the deserted port with their <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/unitetheunion?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@unitetheunion<\/a> flag flying high. <\/p>\n<p>Workers\u2019 power at its best &#8211; nothing moves without us.<\/p>\n<p>Brilliant work from the striker who captured this moment and from all those taking a stand for a proper pay rise <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/13.0.1\/72x72\/1f44f.png\" alt=\"\ud83d\udc4f\" class=\"wp-smiley\" style=\"height: 1em; max-height: 1em;\" \/> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/s4UFOMA3Qp\">pic.twitter.com\/s4UFOMA3Qp<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Lauren Townsend (@LaurenJTownsend) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/LaurenJTownsend\/status\/1562717578765942786?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">August 25, 2022<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Workers&#8217; power<\/h2>\n<p>Workers are on the move and taking on their bosses directly. As Labour struggles to understand how seasons work, extra-parliamentary campaigns like <a href=\"https:\/\/dontpay.uk\/\">Don&#8217;t Pay<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/wesayenough.co.uk\/about-us\/\">Enough is Enough<\/a> seem to be gaining traction. This can only be positive moves towards an invigorated workers&#8217; movement.<\/p>\n<p><em>Featured image via <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Striking_postmen_at_the_Royal_Mail_Bowthorpe_depot_in_2009.jpg\">Wikimedia Commons\/Roger Blackwell, cropped to 770 x 403, licenced under CC BY-SA 20.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p>By <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thecanary.co\/author\/joeglenton\/\">Joe Glenton<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A new wave of strikes are underway across the UK. From postal workers to barristers, organised labour is turning out on picket lines against \u2026 <\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecanary.co\/trending\/2022\/08\/26\/strikes-across-the-uk-as-regulator-lifts-energy-price-cap-by-80\/\" class=\"more-link\">Read more<\/a><\/div>\n<p>By <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thecanary.co\/author\/joeglenton\/\">Joe Glenton<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1547,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[52136,52062,267,20168,33121,5700,11683,6656,5594,1395,1,1667],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/782778"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1547"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=782778"}],"version-history":[{"count":99,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/782778\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":813971,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/782778\/revisions\/813971"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=782778"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=782778"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=782778"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}