UK: Strikes bring transport network to a crawl in London

International

-DW News

London,
Aug
20:
Rail
strikes
broadened
to
the
entire
country
on
Saturday,
following
two
days
of
disruption
in
London
on
local
services,
as
workers
across
various
sectors
pushed
for
pay
hikes,
among
other
demands.

Transport
for
London
(TfL),
responsible
for
most
of
the
capital’s
network,
said
on
its
website
that
Saturday’s
strike
“will
affect
all
National
Rail
train
operating
companies
on
Saturday.”

TfL
advised
people
to
“only
travel
on
national
rail
services
if
absolutely
necessary.”

Strikes
will
affect
your
journey
until
21
Augusthttps://t.co/SAKT5TLuK5

❌
No
service
/
severe
disruption
–
avoid
travel

⚠
Reduced
/
irregular
service
–
check
before
you
travel
/
allow
more
time
for
your
journey
*
planned
closures

✅
Check
before
you
travel

pic.twitter.com/nFRfHzIJ5p

—
Transport
for
London
(@TfL)

August
19,
2022

Meanwhile,
buses
services
are
expected
to
be
affected
in
west
and
southwest
London,
and
parts
of
Surrey
and
Tube
services
will
also
probably
face
some
disruptions,
TfL
said.

The
disruptions
are
likely
to
spill
over
to
Sunday.

Dubai
Crown
Prince
travels
like
commoner
in
London
Tube,
pic
goes
viral

Unions
striking
over
jobs,
pay
and
pensions

On
Friday,
a
strike
by
London
Underground
workers
brought
the
British
capital’s
transport
system
to
a
grinding
halt.
This
came
a
day
after
a
nationwide
walkout
by
railway
staff.

The
members
of
the
Rail,
Maritime
and
Transport
Union
are
striking
over
jobs,
pay
and
pensions,
amid
decades-high
inflation
and
soaring
cost
of
living.

Commuters,
having
a
harrowing
time
due
to
the
strikes,
appear
to
be
unsympathetic
to
the
cause.

“I’m
not
happy
at
all
about
this
strike.
I
didn’t
think
much
about
what
they’re
claiming.
I’m
more
focused
about
how
I’m
going
to
get
to
work
now,”
Arlene
Morson,
a
52-year-old
sales
consultant,
told
AFP.

Then
again,
French
finance
worker
Joachim,
21,
told
AFP
he
was
slightly
confused
about
all
the
fuss:
“When
I
look
at
France
and
the
number
of
strikes
—
here
the
metro
closes
for
one
day
and
everyone
talks
about
it!”

Several
labor
disputes
brewing
as
costs
of
living
rise

The
dispute
has
continued
for
several
months
now,
with
several
strikes
during
that
period.

The
UK
government
has
taken
a
hard
line
on
strikes,
refusing
to
participate
further
in
talks
on
the
modernizations
and
reforms
that
form
part
of
the
unions’ complaints.
Currently,
the
government’s
lame
duck
status
—
with
Boris
Johnson
still
in
10
Downing
Street
while
the
Conservative
Party’s
longwinded
leadership
contest
drags
on
—
makes
any
action
from
Transport
Minister
Grant
Shapps
or
the
government
even
less
likely.

Although
the
British
rail
network
is
nominally
privatized,
it
is
heavily
regulated
and
around
80%
of
its
upkeep
is
effectively
paid
for
by
the
taxpayer.
London’s
public
transport
network
remains
in
state
hands.

30,000
kms
and
35
countries
in
450
days:
Kerala
cyclist
pedals
to
London
with
message
of
peace

Other
industrial
action
is
also
brewing
in
Britain
as
costs
of
living
rise
sharply
and
amid
other
grievances
often
connected
to
the
COVID
pandemic
or
its
aftermath.

Postal
workers,
lawyers,
British
Telecom
staff
and
port
workers
have
all
announced
walkouts
for
later
this
month.

Meanwhile,
garbage
collectors
and
recycling
workers
in
Edinburgh,
Scotland,
began
an
11-day
strike
on
Thursday.

Source: DW