Sector unions are asking for increases in accordance with inflation and better working conditions. They had participated on Wednesday in the most important social mobilization of the last decade in the United Kingdom.
MO12345LEMONDE with AFP
For the second time in three days, a railway worker paralyzes rail traffic in Great Britain, where social movements do not weaken in the face of the surge of prices. Wednesday 1
Railway companies have announced strong disturbances. Some had to cancel all of the journeys. Sector unions – Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF) and the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) – require increases in agreement with inflation, which exceeds 10 %, and better Working conditions.
The representatives of railway companies have proposed to increase the wages of drivers by 8 % over two years, which the unions have rejected. “We are asked to give up collective negotiation. It was obvious that this agreement was going to be rejected. It was designed to fail,” said Simon Weller, on behalf of the Aslef.
“are record “
“We hoped that ASLEF officials would participate constructively to advance negotiations rather than organizing new unnecessary strikes”, deplores Rail Delivery Group, which represents the companies.
Social movements are multiplying in all sectors in the United Kingdom in the face of the increase in the cost of living. Next Monday, the nurses will be on strike again, after having stopped work in December 2022 for the first time in their history.
These movements, of an unprecedented scale since the 1980s, have encountered relative public support, especially in the health sectors, but the conservative government remains hung on a firm position and wants to legislate to limit the right to strike .
In an interview granted Thursday evening to the TalkTV channel, Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, said that he “would love to give nurses a massive increase”, if he could. “But this is a question of choice,” he added, saying that the government had already injected “record sums” in the NHS, the public health service, despite the crisis.