China News Service, June 21 (Xinhua) According to a comprehensive report, on the 21st local time, the UK will usher in the largest railway strike in 30 years to protest low wages, poor working conditions and layoffs.

Passengers travel by train to the west of England ahead of a planned rail strike on June 20, 2022.

　　The British Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) said it will hold three strikes on the 21st, 23rd and 25th as negotiations with the government on the 20th failed to reach an agreement on the 7% wage increase demanded by the union. Tens of thousands of employees participated.

Major traffic lines will be disrupted


　　According to reports, during the strike, almost all major lines in England, Scotland and Wales will be interrupted or delayed.

Traffic departments in many places have issued an alert, and it is expected that the number of private cars on the road will surge by then, and serious traffic accidents may occur.

　　London's ambulance network has been put on maximum alert after Health Secretary Javid warned the strike would "put patients at risk".

According to reports, due to the impact of the strike, some patients have been forced to cancel their appointments.

　　According to the Centre for Economic and Business Research (CEBR), a British think tank, the strike will prevent 250,000 Britons from going to work, and the direct cost of employee absence to businesses will reach 91 million pounds.

　　British hotel industry sources say the strike will cost the tourism, leisure and theatre industries hugely.

　　In addition, during the strike, the A-Level and GCSE examinations (equivalent to the college entrance examination and senior high school entrance examination) that will be held in the UK may also be interrupted.

Labor problems are difficult to solve 

　　Union chief Lynch said the rail strike could last six months or more if no deal was reached.

He criticized the British government for "disappearing without a trace" in the labor negotiations, and called on the government to come forward to facilitate a labor-management agreement.

But Britain's transport secretary said negotiations should be left to unions and employers themselves.

　　Reuters reported that Britain is experiencing its biggest economic contraction in decades, with soaring food and fuel prices pushing inflation close to 10%, but average base wages adjusted for inflation are not higher than they were in 2006.

　　According to British media reports, RMT said that London Underground workers will also hold a one-day strike on the 21st.

Some members of the Association of British Train Drivers and Stokers (ASLEF) will respond to the RMT action on the 23rd with multiple strikes over the next month.

In addition, trade unions such as teachers, medical staff and even lawyers are considering a strike.

　　According to reports, on the 20th local time, London Heathrow Airport announced that due to the accumulation of luggage, a large number of passengers were stranded at the airport, and the airport asked airlines to cancel 10% of flights.

The BBC reported that the cause was a technical malfunction of the luggage conveyor belt.

　　In addition to the failure of the baggage system, Heathrow also experienced a large number of stranded passengers in early June.

It is understood that due to the epidemic blockade and travel restrictions, airlines have been laying off staff in the past two years, and after the relaxation of relevant policies, the number of passengers has increased significantly, and airlines are seriously understaffed.