United Kingdom: in London another day of strike and a transport network almost at a standstill
In London, the London Underground is almost paralyzed this Friday and the rest of the public transport network is severely disrupted by the strike.
AP - Kirsty O'Connor
Text by: RFI Follow
3 mins
The London Underground is almost paralyzed this Friday, August 18, and the rest of the public transport network is severely disrupted by a strike for wages in the face of inflation at its highest in the United Kingdom, the day after a massive walkout railway workers.
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“
There is practically no service
” in the London Underground, even if “
two lines offer reduced traffic
” with a train every fifteen minutes or so, a spokeswoman for the operator told AFP. public transport, Transport for London (TfL).
Bus traffic, overloaded due to the withdrawal of many Londoners on this mode of transport, was also disrupted.
"
I'm going to be late for work
"
In front of Blackhorse Road station (in north-east London), people gathered waiting for the opening of the Overground, the commuter train network which operates on Friday in reduced service: "
Overground only, no metro today
shouts a non-striking employee to the attention of travelers, many of whom are not aware of the strike.
"
I'm going to be late for work, I have to go to central London
," says a young woman who runs out of the station and rushes to the nearby bus stops.
While many train users on Thursday were sympathetic to the rail strikers, some late Londoners were less lenient on Friday: "
I understand the message that the strikers want to send to their bosses, but (...) London is a big city and many people need to get to work
,” criticizes Catherine, who is a saleswoman.
"
I don't know how I'm going to get to work
," also laments Greg, a construction worker.
He denounces "
the tariffs of TfL which have increased sharply
" and believes that the salaries of the public operator are already above the average for the country.
►
To listen: Strikes in the United Kingdom: "If they are so numerous, it means that people are really at the end"
Deadlocked negotiations
The United Kingdom is experiencing these days a new salvo of massive walkouts in transport, post, ports, the biggest strike movement in decades in the face of inflation.
A new day of strike is notably planned in the trains on Saturday.
Negotiations with the multitude of private rail operators in the sector are deadlocked, according to the unions.
The latter have also rejected an offer of an 8% wage increase over two years from Network Rail, a public company managing railway lines, which they accuse of being conditional on massive layoffs.
Transport Minister Grant Shapps, accused by the unions of blocking the situation, for his part criticizes the unions for refusing reforms to modernize rail.
He could go through in force, he assured Sky News on Friday.
"
If we can't implement these modernizations, we will have to impose them
," he said.
►
To read: United Kingdom: London paralyzed by a transport strike for better wages
(
with
AFP
)
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UK
Employment and Labor
Transportation
Economic crisis