It has been announced by GMB union that parking wardens in Westminster will strike on the day of King Charles’ coronation. In the announcement, the union, with over 500,000 members across various job sectors, said that civil enforcement officers had voted to strike on three days in May, including May 6, the day of the king’s coronation.
“This is a great example of a simple truth in the world that is rarely acknowledged: that behind each great historical event are hundreds of ordinary workers working behind the scenes,” said GMB organizer Alex Etches. “Working people like our members might seem to do unimportant jobs, but they are the engines of history. This dispute is simply about working people being paid a decent wage for the physically demanding and very important job that they do.”
The workers, who are contracted by NSL, are currently in dispute over pay and working conditions. They are set to strike on May 2, May 4, and May 6. If the strikes go ahead, it could cause issues for the king’s procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Cathedral on his coronation.
With wardens striking, penalty handouts for parking fines and regulations on the streets around Westminster won’t have the usual standard of enforcement. Etches continued by saying that by the officers striking on such a big day, the “importance” of what the officers do would be seen.
“If NSL fail to make a sensible offer in time, we’ll see just what an important job our members do as the King makes his way from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Cathedral on Saturday 6 May.
“This is a company which has grown enormously rich off the public purse, all the while leaving our members doing a difficult and dangerous job for less than they deserve.”
This strike follows a number of walkouts that have been happening up and down the country. NHS nurses are currently on strike and have been told what they are doing is illegal. Junior doctors also had strikes, as well as school teachers, who will do so again in the coming weeks.
(featured image: Scott Barbour/Getty Images)
