Around 5,000 train drivers across almost a quarter of Britain’s rail network went on strike on Saturday, as part of a campaign for higher pay after the country’s inflation rate hit its highest in 40 years.
The 24-hour strike organised by train drivers’ union ASLEF is the second significant industrial action this week on Britain’s rail network, after 40,000 members of the RMT and TSSA unions — which represent other rail staff — held a major strike on Wednesday.
Soaring inflation — consumer price inflation is currently 9.4pc — and patchy wage rises have exac-erbated labour tensions across sectors including postal services, health, schools, airports and the judiciary.
The rail strike was expected to cause “significant disruption” all day and on Sunday morning, accord-ing to Network Rail, which runs Britain’s rail infra-structure.—Reuters
