Travel chaos for much of the UK is threatened for next Tuesday and Wednesday, with the country facing the possibility of a combined strike by workers at Network Rail and London Underground.
According to The Guardian newspaper, the Rail Maritime and Transport Union has announced a 24-hour stoppage starting at 6.30pm on Tuesday, with a simultaneous strike on the Underground system.
The newspaper quotes a Network Rail spokesman as admitting that the planned stoppage would create a “major disruption”. T
he rail strike is reportedly over plans by Network Rail to close its final salary pension scheme, while the Underground workers are aiming to secure a four-day working week.
The transport secretary Alistair Darling is quoted as saying: “At a time when improvements are starting to come through on the tube and trains, the last thing passengers need is a strike. It would cause massive inconvenience and needless disruption to the public. It is totally unnecessary.”
Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad
