London underground tube workers go on strike on 'budget day'

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
1 Mar 2023 12:40

London tube workers go on their first strike of the year amid dire working conditions.

A tube station entrance is closed in Westminster Station in London, Britain, March 1, 2022. (Reuters)

The UK's National Union of Rail, Maritime, and Transport Workers (RMT) went on its first strike this year over pensions, job losses, and contracts. RMT announced on Tuesday that London Underground staff is on strike on March 15.

Tube workers were forced to work under dire conditions. RMT's general secretary Mick Lynch argued that they deserve decent pay and job security.

"Our members will never accept job losses, attacks on their pensions, or changes to working conditions in order to pay for a funding cut which is the government's political decision. Tube workers provide an essential service to the capital, making sure the city can keep moving and work long hours in demanding roles.

"In return, they deserve decent pensions, job security, and good working conditions and RMT will fight and tooth nail to make sure that's what they get." the general secretary added.

The RMT said that London Underground had begun firing 600 station staff with a refusal to rule out attacks on pensions. The plan is to go on strike on the day Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt is expected to deliver his budget to the House of Commons.

This is due to a series of industrial actions in many sectors of the country due to the worsening cost of living crisis with an inflation rate of 11.1 percent since October 2022.

The inflation affected the affordability of goods and services, which put people in a position where they would have to choose between spending their money on food or on heating for their homes in winter.

All across Europe, people struggle to pay their bills as the cost of living continues to aggravate even since the war in Ukraine started a year ago.

This is also due to the energy shortage crisis triggered by the US' Nord Stream pipelines fiasco, which exacerbated the European countries amid the inflation.