UK's biggest rail strike in 30 years disrupts travel

In Britain, thousands of Railway staff have gone on a strike over a pay dispute with the government. Passengers are facing widespread disruption and cancellations. Major stations were largely deserted, with only about 20 per cent of passenger trains running. Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) is leading the strike which began on Tuesday. The RMT argues that the strike is necessary as wages have failed to keep pace with inflation, which has hit a 40-year high. The dispute centers on pay, working conditions and job security as Britain's Railways struggle to recover from the Corona virus pandemic. Workers in large numbers have joined the Britain’s biggest nationwide rail strike in 30 years. Disruption is expected for the rest of the week after 40,000 members of the RMT union voted to strike over pay and conditions.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has described the strike as wrong and unnecessary. In a video posted on his Twitter handle, he stated that the government supported the Railway industry to the tune of 16 billion pounds. He added that huge investments are being made in the industry. The U.K.’s Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the standoff had been “manufactured” by unions and said workers were striking under “false pretenses.” However, he again on Tuesday dismissed calls for the government to step in on negotiations, saying it was “the job of the employers to meet with the unions.”