The British have to reckon with great difficulties in transport on Friday and Saturday due to the next two strikes on the railway. They coincide – rather not by chance – with the Eurovision Song Contest taking place in Liverpool.
Train drivers associated with their trade union ASLEF are on strike on Friday, and they have also announced further protests for May 31 and June 3. On Saturday, members of the trade union of rail, sea and road transport workers RMT will join the strike. As a result, trains will run to a very limited extent and in shortened hours during these two days, and in the case of several carriers they will not run at all. But, as was the case with previous strikes, disruptions will also be felt in the following days and carriers have warned that there will also be difficulties on Sunday and probably on Monday.
Problems during Eurovision
The strike means a major problem for those traveling to Liverpool for Saturday’s final the Eurovision Song Contesthosted Great Britain is for the first time in 25 years.
ASLEF general secretary Mark Wheelan argued on Friday that the date of the strike was based on when the union rejected the latest offer from rail operators and Eurovision was not considered. These explanations, however, do not sound convincing, because both ASLEF and RMT have gone on strike several times during major events in recent months, and the strike announced for June 3 coincides with the final of the Football Cup. Englandwhich attracts tens of thousands of people to London.
“Either they don’t have a very good calendar with sporting events or events, or it was done on purpose to try to increase disruption to passengers,” said Huw Merriman, the deputy transport minister responsible for railways.
The main point of contention
The main point of contention in the dispute between trade unions and railway carriers, which has been going on since the summer of last year, is the amount of wage increases, working conditions and employment reductions. Trade unions are demanding an increase in wages adequate to inflationwhose annual rate for several months exceeds 10 percent.
Main photo source: PAP/EPA/NEIL HALL