London, Europe Brief News- More than 45,000 rail workers go out on strike today, mainly from the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) and Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA), in long-running disputes over pay, jobs and conditions.
Many train platforms will be eerily quiet today on the first day of new rail strikes. Commuters and other travellers are facing further disruption over the next three days on rail, tube and bus services.
Education secretary James Cleverly slammed the transport workers on strike, telling Sky News they were “holding the country hostage” and “disadvantaging people trying to get to work”.
Meanwhile, RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said his union’s members are more determined than ever to protect their pensions, secure a decent pay rise, job security and good working conditions.
“We don’t want to cause pain, we don’t want disruption. We want a settlement to the issues in this dispute which are based around job security, conditions of service and pay… in the train operating companies we’ve got an enormous attack on our pension scheme.”
Only 20% of train services running on the first day of new rail strikes. Commuters and other travelers will face further disruption to train, metro and bus services over the next three days.
