The strikes could last into 2023 if the government doesn’t start talks with unions over wages, the TUC chief has warned.
General Secretary Paul Nowak accused the government of “blocking” collective bargaining with the unions.
There has been widespread industrial action in the public and private sectors as the cost of living has soared.
The government said if public sector wages rose in line with the cost of living it would lead to “worsening debt” and make “everyone poorer”.
Mr Nowak told the BBC: “If the government refuses to negotiate, I think we will see further industrial action by 2023.”
Nurses across England, Wales and Northern Ireland held the biggest strike in NHS history in December and further action is planned for January.
Meanwhile, train and postal services have been disrupted as railway workers and Royal Mail staff went out in droves over pay and conditions.
The rate of inflation – or inflation – hit 10.7% in November, a 40-year high, fueled by rising energy bills.
The Bank of England hiked interest rates throughout 2022, taking borrowing costs to a 14-year high of 3.5%.
Workers seek wage increases that match or exceed inflation.
Mr Nowak, who replaces Frances O’Grady as TUC chair, said workers “feel they have no alternative [to strike] because they face another real pay cut”.
“And when you think about those utility bills, the cost of weekly groceries, fueling your car, rents and mortgages that are going up, the only thing that’s not going up is wages.”
“We have been reasonable in our approach to agreeing to the recommendations of the independent pay review bodies for pay rises in the public sector,” a government spokesman said.
“An 11% inflation-adjusted wage increase for all public sector workers would cost £28 billion. That would be a cost of just under £1,000 for each household,” added the spokesman.
The rail strikes continue on Thursday 29 December when TSSA union members at West Midlands Trains and Great Western Railway pull out in a dispute over pay and working conditions.
Border Force employees, including many who check passports, are staging further strikes that will continue through December 31, although disruption has been reported as “minimal” at six affected airports.
Driving examiners who are PCS members are also on strike over salaries, pensions and notice periods through December 31st, and the action will continue throughout January.
The chairman of the PCS staff committee has warned that industrial action could continue well into the new year.
Rail services are expected to be suspended for strikes in the first week of January, when many people return to work after Christmas.
Members of the RMT union will leave office on Tuesday 3rd January and Wednesday 4th January. They will strike again on Friday, January 6th and Saturday, January 7th.
Network Rail, which operates and maintains Britain’s railway system, has warned people to “only travel if absolutely necessary” on these days.
Also, the members of Aslef will be moving out on Thursday 5th January. Train operator Southeastern has warned that there will be no services that day and that there will be severe disruption on the days before and after due to the RMT strikes.
Scott Brightwell, director of operations and safety at Southeastern, said: “We urge you to check our special up-to-date strike page before you travel.
“Train services are expected to be very congested on routes operating on RMT strike days and as such we are advising our customers to travel later in the morning and earlier in the evening whenever possible.”
The Rail Delivery Group, which represents rail operators, said the RMT strikes would mean only about 20% of services will be operational and “half the network will be closed”.
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