Around 40,000 British railway workers went on strike on Wednesday, a month after the biggest strike in 30 years, as Britain grapples with its worst cost of living crisis in decades.
The nationwide strike over pay and conditions brought the rail network to a virtual standstill with just one in five ongoing workouts, and caused major disruption to rush-hour commuters as many simply stayed at home.
With inflation at a 40-year high and set to continue to worsen, the cost of living crisis poses a major challenge for Secretary of State Liz Truss and former Treasury Secretary Rishi Sunak, who are vying in a leadership contest to replace Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
London Underground trains and buses ran as usual, but Eurostar reduced the number of trains through the Channel Tunnel as a side effect, although its employees did not take part in the strike.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch argues strikes are necessary as wages have not kept pace with UK inflation, which currently stands at 9.4 per cent and is set to rise.
“Network Rail has not made any improvements to their previous fare offering and the rail companies have not offered us anything new,” he said.
Wednesday’s 24-hour strike came after RMT staged a three-day strike last month that also virtually paralyzed the rail network.
“The government needs to end its interference in this dispute so that the railroad companies can come to a negotiated settlement with us,” Lynch said.
The government called on union bosses and rail operators to settle the dispute.
“They don’t have to speak to ministers to resolve this because their employers are the people who have the mandate to negotiate this,” Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told Sky News.
“It’s just… an attempt to divert attention,” he added.
Opposition Labor Party leader Keir Starmer demoted a senior MP, Sam Tarry, for joining a picket line despite orders after the politician took to social media to report his attendance.
The London MP was sacked from his frontbench role with responsibility for transport after Starmer said the party’s role was to try to resolve the dispute, not picket lines.
Service was expected to resume early Thursday.
The Aslef union, which represents train drivers, announced a new strike for August 13.
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