A strike by train drivers on Saturday severely disrupted rail transport in England, where protests are mounting in response to rising inflation and a loss of purchasing power.
The Aslef union’s strike call was addressed to nine regional operators.
Some routes, such as the Heathrow Express, which takes passengers to London’s major airport, have stopped altogether.
In a memo, Ausleff defended the strike as a “last resort” as companies and the government refused to grant workers the wage increases they were demanding.
The union described the situation as “unacceptable” as train drivers have not received a pay rise in three years, with inflation now above 9% and, according to the Bank of England, set to exceed 13% by the end of the year.
Operators say they are willing to offer raises, but in exchange for reforming rail workers’ conditions, the government is calling for restraint and arguing that massive public aid has already been provided to keep operators afloat during lockdowns due to the coronavirus.
Given the sharp drop in purchasing power, other strikes are planned in the coming days and weeks at the London Underground, Royal Mail postal group, telecoms operator BT and the editorial office of the Reach group. Mirror and Daily Express tabloids.
In June, British rail workers had already staged a historic strike, followed by regular strikes, with two planned for next week.
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© Agence France-Presse
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