Britain’s train drivers’ union said members voted to strike over a pay dispute, a move that could bring some of the network to a near standstill for the second time in as many months.
The Aslef union said drivers at eight rail companies overwhelmingly gave the go-ahead for walkouts, potentially adding to a wave of industrial action to hit the country across a number of sectors. Travel was also halted in June by a three-day rail strike, the biggest in more than three decades.
Aslef didn’t set strike dates and left the door open to further talks.
“It’s not too late for the companies — or the government — to resolve this situation,” the union said in a statement.
The UK government is facing widespread anger from labour groups over pay and working conditions as inflation continues to spiral. Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s administration has argued that it needs to be cautious with pay awards to prevent prices rising further, frustrating unions seeking better deals.
The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers, which led last month’s strike, is yet to agree to proposals to resolve its own dispute. A failure to reach a deal with employers could lead to more stoppages.
Criminal barristers and postal workers are also taking action. The UK’s 114 Crown Post Office locations were set to close on Monday, the Communications Workers Union has said, after a deadlock over wages. About 2,400 Royal Mail Plc managers plan to strike over job and pay cuts later this month.
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
UK train drivers vote to strike, threatening more travel chaos
Image: Bloomberg
Britain’s train drivers’ union said members voted to strike over a pay dispute, a move that could bring some of the network to a near standstill for the second time in as many months.
The Aslef union said drivers at eight rail companies overwhelmingly gave the go-ahead for walkouts, potentially adding to a wave of industrial action to hit the country across a number of sectors. Travel was also halted in June by a three-day rail strike, the biggest in more than three decades.
Aslef didn’t set strike dates and left the door open to further talks.
“It’s not too late for the companies — or the government — to resolve this situation,” the union said in a statement.
The UK government is facing widespread anger from labour groups over pay and working conditions as inflation continues to spiral. Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s administration has argued that it needs to be cautious with pay awards to prevent prices rising further, frustrating unions seeking better deals.
The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers, which led last month’s strike, is yet to agree to proposals to resolve its own dispute. A failure to reach a deal with employers could lead to more stoppages.
Criminal barristers and postal workers are also taking action. The UK’s 114 Crown Post Office locations were set to close on Monday, the Communications Workers Union has said, after a deadlock over wages. About 2,400 Royal Mail Plc managers plan to strike over job and pay cuts later this month.
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
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