Two days of strikes will bring much of Britain’s rail network to a standstill.
(Bloomberg) — Two days of strikes will bring much of Britain’s rail network to a standstill as workers escalate a protest over pay.
Commuters face the latest walkout by train drivers, represented by the Aslef union, on Friday, with city centers expected to be quieter than usual as more office staff choose to work from home.
On Saturday, a separate labor group — the RMT — will hold a strike for thousands of rail workers, in a move that could disrupt the final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool. Aslef has also imposed an overtime ban for Saturday.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper said that by “striking over the UK’s first Eurovision event in 25 years – hosted for Ukraine — the RMT are simply further snubbing the very passengers they serve.”
The UK has suffered a year of widespread industrial action across sectors such as the Royal Mail, civil service, schools, universities and hospitals, as well as public transport. Stubborn double-digit inflation has prompted demands for more generous raises. Harper said RMT members had been offered a 5% plus 4% increase over two years with more for lower-paid workers, while train drivers would have earned a base salary of nearly £65,000 ($81,400) under the latest proposal.
The RMT agreed a deal with Network Rail, which runs the tracks, in March, but remains in dispute with train companies.
Read More: UK Takes Over TransPennine Express After Months of Disruption
The Rail Delivery Group, an umbrella organization, said train operating companies were “doing all they can” to make sure people can travel to Liverpool for the Eurovision final, but said passengers could expect significant disruption over both days, as well as on Sunday morning. Local trains on Merseyside are not affected by the strikes, but services to Liverpool from other parts of the country face the prospect of delays and cancellations. The RMT action is targeted at 14 train companies.
Aslef has also planned strikes for May 31 and June 3, the date of the FA Cup final between Manchester City and Manchester United at Wembley stadium in London.
–With assistance from Alex Morales.
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
©2023 Bloomberg L.P.