As hundreds of train drivers went on strike on Saturday in the latest round of a violent labor dispute on the country’s railroads, workers, tourists, and sports fans experienced travel disruption in Britain.
In England, almost 5,000 train drivers went on strike for a whole day against seven train companies. It happened on the opening day of the new English soccer season and the second full day of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Following four days of strikes by train cleaners, signalers, maintenance workers, and station employees since June over salary, jobs, and working conditions, the drivers went on strike.
To deal with the above 9% inflation rate and the biggest cost of living problem in decades, unions are pressing for significant wage increases. After two years impacted by the epidemic during which time, they were kept viable by emergency government financing, train companies are looking to reduce expenses and manpower.
Unions claim that the Conservative government is blocking privately owned, tightly regulated railway firms from providing a better offer; the government disputes this claim.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps alleged in a letter to the Times of London that “militant union leaders” were opposing vital reforms and “taking the taxpayer for a ride, but not in the manner they were supposed to.”
ASLEF union president Mick Whelan claimed that employees just desired a “sensible” salary increase.
We haven’t received salary raises for the past three years; he told the BBC. “The individuals for whom we work will make hundreds of millions of pounds while rewarding their stockholders.”
In what is turning out to be a summer of global and British travel disruption, further strikes are scheduled for August. As airports struggle to manage personnel shortages and the dramatically increased demand for flights following two pandemic-hit years, aviation travelers are experiencing delays and disruptions in numerous nations.
Last week, Brexit-related delays and a lack of French border guards resulted in hours-long queues at the port of Dover for truck drivers and Britons traveling abroad by ferry.