United Kingdom: new strike of the railways

Train passengers in the U.K. face major disruption this week as thousands of railway workers are expected to begin a series of strikes starting Tuesday, Dec. 13, to demand higher pay amid soaring energy and food prices.

In the large-scale rail strikes, called by the U.K.’s largest rail union, The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT), about 40,000 railway workers will strike on Tuesday and Wednesday, and again on Friday and Saturday amid a dispute over jobs, pay and conditions.

The strike comes after members of the U.K.’s largest rail union rejected new pay offers from Network Rail, the owner of the U.K.’s rail infrastructure, on Monday, Dec. 12, promising to continue the fight.

The offer included a 5% pay rise backdated to this year and a further 4% at the start of 2023, linked to “thousands of job losses” as well as an increase in unsocial hours. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said it was a “huge rejection of Network Rail’s substandard offer and shows that our members are determined to continue striking in pursuit of a negotiated settlement”.

Minister of State for Transport Huw Merriman urged Lynch to return to the negotiating table, saying the government’s decision is clear: “We want these strikes called off and we want a better and more resilient railroad for the future.”

Lynch, however, said the government refused to lift a finger to prevent these strikes and it was clear they wanted to make effective strike action illegal. “Our members, along with the entire labour movement, will continue to campaign to achieve a square deal for workers, decent wage increases and good working conditions,” he said.

Major stations across the country are expected to see picket lines and journeys cancelled or disrupted, which is expected to hamper people’s Christmas travel plans. Network Rail urged passengers to “only travel when absolutely necessary”. The RMT has staged a series of strikes in recent months, crippling the rail network in England, Scotland and Wales and threatening to hit businesses ahead of the Christmas vacations.

The RMT is planning further strikes from 6pm on Christmas Eve, December 24, until 6am on December 27, according to reports. Railway workers are also expected to stop work in early January. In line with this, Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promised on Wednesday to introduce “tough new laws” to deal with the consequences of the strikes.

This week, the U.K. is bracing for an unprecedented wave of strikes, with nurses, postal workers and border force officers planning to walk out before Christmas as inflation hits more than 11 per cent, fuelled by energy prices in particular as a result of Russia’s war on Ukraine.