- More than 40,000 railroad workers went on strike
- The government is under pressure from the cost of living crisis
- Unions say strike could start a “summer of discontent”
LONDON, June 21 (Reuters) – The biggest rail strike in the UK in 30 years began on Tuesday when tens of thousands of workers abandoned a wage and job dispute that could pave the way for widespread industrial action to the whole economy in the coming months.
Some of the more than 40,000 railway workers who are due to strike on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday have been concentrating on pickets since dawn, leaving the network stopped and the main stations deserted. The London Underground was also closed mainly due to an independent strike.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, under pressure to do more to help British households facing the hardest economic blow in decades, said industrial action would hurt businesses as they continue to recover from the pandemic.
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Unions have said rail strikes could mark the start of a “summer of discontent” with teachers, doctors, waste disposal workers and even lawyers heading for industrial action, as the Rising food and fuel prices push inflation to 10%. Read more
“The British worker needs a pay rise,” Mick Lynch, secretary general of Railways, Maritime Affairs and Transport Workers (RMT), told Sky News.
“They need job security, decent conditions and a broad agreement in general, if we are to achieve that we will not have to suffer the disruption of the British economy that we have now and that can develop over the summer.”
Johnson said unions were harming people they said were helping.
“By carrying out these rail strikes, they are moving away from travelers who ultimately support the jobs of railway workers, while also affecting businesses and communities across the country,” he will tell his cabinet on Tuesday, according to his office.
The government has faced criticism from opposition lawmakers for refusing to take part in talks to resolve the dispute. Ministers say it is a matter of unions collaborating directly with railway employers.
A poll by YouGov polls earlier this month found that public opinion on the strikes was divided, with about half of respondents opposing the action and just over a third saying they supported it. .
Leo Rudolph, a 36-year-old lawyer who was walking to work, said he would be more unhappy the longer the dispute lasted.
Railway workers strike outside Preston station on the first day of the national railway strike in Preston, UK, on June 21, 2022. REUTERS / Jason Cairnduff
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“That won’t be an isolated fact, will it?” he told Reuters. “I will definitely feel more frustrated every time this happens.”
DESTRUCTIVE INFLATION
The British economy initially recovered strongly from the COVID-19 pandemic, but a combination of labor shortages, supply chain disruption, inflation and post-Brexit trade problems has sparked warnings. a recession.
The government says it is providing additional support to millions of the poorest households, but says wage increases above inflation would damage the foundations of the economy.
“Sustained higher levels of inflation would have a much greater impact on people’s long-term pay packages, destroying savings and prolonging the difficulties we face for longer,” Johnson said.
The outbreak of industrial action has been compared to the 1970s, when Britain faced widespread labor strikes, including the “winter of discontent” of 1978-79. Read more
The number of unionized British workers has fallen by about half since the 1970s, with much less frequent departures, in part due to changes made by former Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to restrict union powers and make more difficult to call a strike. .
Transport Minister Grant Shapps said the government would change the law as soon as possible to force train operators to provide a minimum service on strike days and allow other workers to temporarily replace staff who have left.
“We’re going to take steps to make sure this kind of thing is less harmful in the future,” he told Sky News.
Strikes occur when passengers at British airports experience chaotic delays and last-minute cancellations due to staff shortages, while many Britons have to wait months for new passports to arrive due to delays in processing. .
The rail strike means that only about half of the UK rail network will be open on strike days with very limited service on these lines and a continuous disruption on days between strike days.
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Editing by Edmund Blair, Kate Holton and Raissa Kasolowsky
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