As biggest rail strike in 30 years starts, UK PM Boris Johnson seeks 'sensible compromise'
London-rail-strike
On June 21, tens of thousands of railway workers in the United Kingdom went on strike, putting the country's train network to a halt in the country's worst transit strike in three decades. A 24-hour walkout by some 40,000 cleaners, signalers, maintenance workers, and station staff was underway, with two more scheduled for Thursday and Saturday. Adding to passengers' misery, London Underground subway services were also disrupted by a strike on Tuesday.
As Britain's railways struggle to recover from the coronavirus outbreak, the conflict revolves around salaries, working conditions, and job security. On Tuesday morning, major stations were mostly vacant, with only around 20% of passenger trains set to run.
Employees attempting to go to work, students preparing for exams, and music fans heading to the Glastonbury Festival, which begins on Wednesday in southwest England, were all disrupted by the strike.
In the year to March, about 1 billion railway journeys were made in the United Kingdom. However, this is a far cry from pre-COVID-19 levels, and train companies that have been able to stay afloat thanks to government assistance for the past two years are looking to cut costs and staffing.
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On Monday, last-minute talks failed to produce a breakthrough. The Train, Maritime and Transport Union has stated that it will not accept rail companies' offer of a 3% rise, which is well below the current inflation rate of 9%.
The union claims that the Conservative government is reluctant to allow rail companies the leeway to grant significant salary raises.
The government claims to be uninvolved in the discussions, but it has warned that large pay hikes will trigger a wage-price spiral, driving inflation even higher.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson criticised labour unions for "harming the very people they profess to be supporting" and urged a "reasonable settlement for the sake of the British people and the rail workforce."
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