UK's rail workers strike against 'worst' cost of living and decade-high inflation

Owing to worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation and decades-high inflation in the United Kingdom, the rail staff have started a five-day long strike across the islands starting from Tuesday.

The UK rail staff disrupted the New Year return to work on Tuesday in the latest strike action by workers in a range of sectors including NHS nurse strikes last year.

Workers across the economy are at loggerheads with the government as they demand big pay rises to cope with decades-high inflation, currently running at nearly 11 percent.

Normally bustling London train stations went quiet on the first normal working day of 2023 after the New Year break.

Network Rail, which operates the UK's rail infrastructure, warned travellers of "significantly reduced" train services or no services at all in some areas until Sunday.

Five days of strike action beginning on Tuesday were to include two 48-hour strikes by around 40,000 members of the RMT union.

The Aslef union will also strike on Thursday.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper urged the rail unions to return to the negotiating table.

The RMT union, however, accused the government of intervening in negotiations in December to stop a deal. Harper denies the claim.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said the minister had scuppered a potential settlement by insisting on the removal of guards from trains, in favour of driver-only operated trains.

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The issue is a key one for unions.

"So that prevented any move forward on the issue and so that is the direct responsibility of the Secretary of State (Harper)," Lynch said from a picket line at London Euston railway station.

Despite escalating pay demands, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pledged to fight calls for inflation-busting rises, insisting the government must stick to more modest increases for public sector workers.

"The best way to help them and help everyone else in the country is for us to get a grip and reduce inflation as quickly as possible," Prime Minister Rish Sunak told a watchdog panel of MPs late last year.

Lynch told AFP news agency the union was "really sorry that we have had to take this action, that it does impact them (the public) and we understand their frustration, indeed their anger.

"But we believe some of that should be directed at the government."

Those striking in 2022 included rail, port, border force and postal workers along with lawyers, nurses and ambulance staff.

More stoppages are planned in the coming weeks.