A major 24-hour strike for train drivers is underway in the UK. Earlier on Saturday, about 6,500 drivers had laid off their jobs. As a result, nine railway companies are barely operating at all. The above-ground network in London was also affected by the strike.
The strike is part of a long-running struggle between unions, carriers and the government over wages, rolls and the possibility of layoffs. The first measures began in June and will continue indefinitely. Saturday work is organized by the ASLEF Consortium. Similar strikes are scheduled by the RMT and TSSA next week.
Five railway companies, including Avanti West Coast and London Northwestern Railway, will not operate at all on Saturday. Other affected carriers only allow trains to operate intermittently. So it is very crowded on the trains which run on schedule.
The strike caused great inconvenience to train passengers on Saturday. Event visitors can also wet their chests. There are English Premier League football matches in cities like London, Manchester, Birmingham and Brighton, with many fans relying on the train.
On Saturday evening, Coldplay will also hold a concert at Wembley, where the crowd is expected to reach 90,000. Usually, many visitors come to London Stadium by train.
NS employees will soon cease collective action now that a collective labor agreement has not been reached with labor unions. These include relay strikes in certain areas and national rail shutdowns.
