The first of four planned strikes by UK rail workers began on Thursday. Which is anticipated to cause significant delays and disrupt transportation once more across the nation.
Tens of thousands of members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) have begun a series of walkouts, which have once again caused widespread train strikes to affect people throughout UK.
The union members agreed to go on a four-day strike last month on March 16, 18, 30, and 1 after rejecting the train operators’ pay offer.
The union declared they are looking for “an unconditional offer” from 14 train operators and Network train, which manages the rail network, following the decision to walk out.
The RMT criticized the bosses of the rail operator early on Thursday for “awarding themselves” while “lecturing” rail employees about wage restraint.
According to the statement, “… Bosses at seven rail firms have given themselves yearly pay rises of between 15 and 275% while the majority of rail employees have been subject to a pay freeze.
The train companies where staff are striking are Avanti West Coast, C2C, Chiltern, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, GTR (Thameslink, Great Northern and Southern), Great Western Railway, Greater Anglia, LNER, West Midlands, (including London Northwestern Railway), Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, and TransPennine Express.
Some early disruption was expected to persist on London Underground services today after a strike by the RMT and Aslef halted Tube trains on Wednesday. Parts of the Elizabeth Line will also be affected by the national rail strikes.
Around UK, disruption from the national rail strikes is expected to roll into early Friday morning, while a second strike will take place on Saturday. Two further strikes are scheduled by RMT train staff for 30 March and 1 April.
