One out of two lines closed and four out of five trains removed. British railway workers begin a three-day strike on Tuesday, June 21, announced as the biggest walkout in thirty years. In question: “thousands of layoffs planned” and wages deemed too low in relation to inflation.
The RMT union had announced in early June that more than 50,000 railway workers would stop work “during the biggest sectoral conflict since 1989” and the major privatizations of the sector. The organization calls in particular for wage increases in line with galloping inflation. In addition to wages, RMT denounces the deterioration of working conditions and “thousands of layoffs” provided by the myriad of private rail companies that make up the industry in the UK.
Tuesday will be the biggest day of mobilization. London Underground employees are also called to walk off the train and TfL, the capital’s transport operator, invites users to avoid traveling that day. The strike will continue on Thursday and Saturday, but disruption will be felt every day until Sunday, TfL warns.