Britons will struggle to get to work by train in the coming days. Around 50,000 rail employees in the UK will be out of work on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. This made it the biggest strike on the railways since 1989. Unions demanded wage increases to match inflation.
The tens of thousands of railroad workers who went on strike came from thirteen different train operators. The strike was felt across the island, in England, Wales and Scotland. There appears to be no strike in Northern Ireland.
Grant Shapps, UK Transport Secretary, expects about 20 per cent of normal services to resume on strike days. Delays are also expected on days when there is no official strike.
Strikes stem from dissatisfaction with wages. Unions want railroad workers to get pay increases due to skyrocketing inflation. Inflation in the British Isle is among the highest in Europe.
Although discontent had been going on for some time, talks between the trade unions and employers had not yielded anything, resulting in a massive strike. Shapps called the union’s decision a “grave mistake” and “inappropriate behavior” on Sunday, for preventing Britons from attending hospital appointments, work or school exams.
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