London: Rail commuters across the UK faced a disastrous trip on Friday as train drivers planned a second stop over wages.
The majority of rail companies on the country’s fragmented network said they were not providing service, forcing millions to make alternative travel plans or work from home. I was.
Central London railway stations such as Euston were largely empty, as were railway hubs elsewhere in England.
Following Wednesday’s strike, ASLEF and members of the Railways, Shipping and Transport Union (RMT) walked away again in a long-running dispute over wages and conditions.
Wednesday was the UK’s biggest day of strike in more than a decade, as half a million workers, including teachers and Border Patrol staff, also went on strike.
Public sector staff across the UK economy are at odds with the government as they demand significant wage increases to deal with decades of high inflation (currently hovering at almost 11%) and the associated cost of living crisis. I’m here.
Tens of thousands of nurses, who launched an unprecedented strike in December, will make another stop on Monday.
Simon Weller of the ASLEF union, which represents train drivers, said a months-old rail dispute was “backtracking” as ongoing negotiations failed to make progress and the latest salary proposals fell short. rice field.
“We are being asked to abandon collective bargaining and agree to a virtually no strike agreement,” he added.
“Obviously it was to be rejected. It was designed to fail.”
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has argued that Britain, which is expected to plunge into recession this year, cannot allow double-digit wage increases as it promises to halve inflation this year.
“We have to stick to that path,” he told broadcaster TalkTV in an interview marking the end of his first 100 days in power.
When asked for a message to the public, Sunak said: I can do it better, so have hope and I will do it better. – AFP
