The strikes initiated by the railway workers in England after the salary increase offered below the inflation, continues to negatively affect the transportation throughout the country due to the canceled train services.
4 unions, of which more than 50 thousand railway workers are members, decided to strike again yesterday due to the long-standing disagreement over wage increases and working conditions.
Many long-distance and local train services were canceled in many regions of the country, especially in the capital London.
While there were serious disruptions in transportation due to the strike of the railway workers, some of the unions announced that they would continue their work stoppage action on 5, 6 and 8 October after the negotiations with the government and companies failed to yield results.
Unions share the view that workers’ wages should also be increased at a more equitable rate in order to meet the rising cost of living in the face of “the highest inflation rate in the last 40 years” in the country, which has reached 10 percent.
Railway workers had gone on strike many times in the previous months, and organized the “largest railway and subway workers strike of the last 30 years” on 21-23 and 25 June.
NO SALARY INCREASE SINCE 2019
Anadolu Agency (AA) visited the Ashford International Train Station, which was closed due to the strike in Kent, and met with the striking workers.
Suzanne Lewis, a member of the Railway, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) union that decided to quit, said, “We haven’t had a salary increase since 2019 and we’re all struggling. People don’t sit down and talk properly with our leader (RMT General Secretary) Mick Lynch, they don’t talk to our leader properly. There will always be strikes until we speak.” said.
“WE ARE FORCED TO STRIKE”
Another union member, Chris Joyce, mentioned that the livelihood crisis has caused conditions not seen in England since the 1950s, and said that many different unions went on strike as part of the “Enough is enough” campaign.
“It’s going to be a tough winter for everyone, it already is. We don’t want to strike, we were forced to strike. No one can afford a pay cut,” Joyce said. he said.
SOME CITIZENS ARE UNCOMFORTABLE BY CANCELLATION
The disruption in the railways caused by the workers’ strike created discomfort for many citizens.
Explaining that he bought train tickets for himself and his daughter online, Daniel stated that when they arrived at the station, he saw that the train services were cancelled.
Saying that the rail workers did not support the decision to strike, Daniel said, “If everyone gets a raise, the cost of living will continue to spiral out of control. They were offered a good deal.” made its assessment.
*The visuals of the news were served by the Associated Press.