Let's get out our strike advent calendar. Remember every day between now and Christmas

strike action is being taken somewhere. The run-up to Christmas this year has been unlike

any other. Marked not just by bad weather and a cost of living crisis, but an endless

succession of strikes. When ambulance crews are due to walk out for two days on December

21 and the 28th in support of their pay claim. As ambulance crews go on strike today,

the government is still refusing to negotiate and with a health service now in crisis, the

government's only advice to the rest of us is try not to get ill.

We raised an important point about the beginning that there will be disruption to service and

it is important that we know where people are planning any risky activity. I would strongly

encourage them not to do so because there will be disruption on the day.

And it's not just ambulance crews or nurses. Later this week, highway workers,

border full staff, wheel mail, rail and bus drivers will all be going on strike.

It's a longer term story that's coming to a head. It's pretty much a perfect storm

to create this level of industrial and rest.

So why are so many workers up and down the country going out on strike? And how long will

this period of industrial action last? You're listening to stories of our times from the

times and the Sunday times. I'm Manvina Rano. Today, strikes. Is there any end in sight?

My name is Patrick McGuire. I'm Red Box Headers at the Times. I write our morning

political newsletter and I report extensively on the Labour Party and the trade union movement.

So a lot of my time at the minute is spent keeping track of what politicians are saying

about the strikes, but also who is going on strikes and the dynamics and the political

debates within the trade union movement and on the left.

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