Tens of thousands of UK railway workers have gone on the network’s largest strike in more than 30 years, leaving commuters stranded. About 40,000 cleaners, traffic lights, security guards and station staff went on a 24-hour strike on Tuesday, with two more scheduled for Thursday and Saturday. The controversy focuses on wages, working conditions and job security as the UK railways struggle to recover from the coronavirus pandemic. There were almost 1 billion train journeys in the UK each year through March. But this is much lower than pre-COVID-19 levels, and train companies, which have survived state support for the past two years, are seeking to cut costs and staff. Last minute talks on Monday failed to make significant progress. The Union of Railways, Shipping and Transportation (RMT) says it will not accept the offer of rail companies for a 3 per cent increase, which is well below the current inflation rate of 9 per cent. The union accuses the Conservative government of refusing to give the railways enough flexibility to offer a significant pay rise. The government says it is not participating in the talks, but has warned that large increases will trigger a wage-price spiral that will push inflation even higher. Passengers queue for a bus outside Waterloo Station on the first day of a train strike in London [Henry Nicholls/Reuters] The big stations were largely deserted on Tuesday morning, with only about 20% of passenger trains scheduled to run, forcing people to either work from home or find alternative routes to the office. Transport Secretary Grand Saps said he “regretted” the strikes, which he said were reminiscent of the “old bad days of the 1970s”. “People who are in pain are people who physically have to find work, maybe on a lower salary, maybe hospital cleaners,” he told Sky News. “I’m absolutely sorry for what they are doing today and there is no excuse for people to go on strike.” However, MM Lynch, RMT’s general secretary, described as “unacceptable” offers for wage increases under inflation from both subway operators and the London Underground, which runs the metro in the capital. Departures – also on Thursdays and Saturdays – risk causing major disruption to major events, including the Glastonbury Music Festival. Schools warn that thousands of teens taking national exams will also be affected. The strikes are the biggest controversy on the UK rail network since 1989, according to RMT. Leaflets and newspapers are distributed in a queue outside Waterloo Station in London [Ben Stansall/AFP] Al Jazeera’s Paul Brennan referred to the UK’s largest and busiest Waterloo station, saying it was “a great spectacle compared to a normal day”. Only 45 percent of the entire network will be operational and this number of services will be reduced to one-fifth compared to a normal day. The UK public is divided over its support for the strikes. “Some people like striking workers, not just train drivers and security guards, they are railway staff in many professions,” Brennan said, adding: “People say the cost of living is that. a percentage that people are entitled to a salary increase “. But other travelers are frustrated with the holidays. Inflation in the UK jumped to its highest annual rate in 40 years in May, according to official figures, putting pressure on the government to step up aid to households facing a worsening cost-of-living crisis.
