Commuters and travelers still need a lot of patience in the UK. Only every fifth train connection takes place.
Tens of thousands of British rail operators and employees of the route operator Network Rail walked out on Thursday for the second time this week. They demand more money, a reversal of planned job cuts and better working conditions.
This meant considerable restrictions for commuters and travelers. One in five trains is running and about half of the route network is not being used, the PA news agency reported.
Demand and offer diverge
The RMT union is demanding seven percent more money for its members. Employers want to give a maximum of three percent. The background is that the inflation rate in Great Britain is more than nine percent and could continue to rise.
The union is also demanding that Network Rail withdraw plans to cut 2,500 jobs. There is no sign of an agreement. Further strikes are therefore likely, said RMT boss Mick Lynch according to the broadcaster Sky News. The next strike was announced for Saturday.
criticism of the government
Lynch also accused Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government of undermining the talks. Network Rail is a state-owned company. The government is avoiding direct talks, but is restricting the management’s scope to such an extent that an agreement has so far been impossible.
The government, meanwhile, announced a change in the law to allow rail operators to use temporary workers on strike days. Labor law expert Kate Bell from the TUC union accused the government of endangering the safety of train passengers and people in other areas with the “cynical” step should insufficiently trained staff be deployed.
Source: Stern
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
