Air travelers in many countries are facing delays and disruption as airports struggle to cope with staff shortages and skyrocketing demand for flights after two pandemic-hit years.
The railway dispute centers on pay, working conditions and job security as Britain’s train companies aim to cut costs and staffing after two years in which emergency government funding kept them afloat.
The strike pits the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union against 13 privately owned train-operating companies and the government-owned National Rail. Talks between union representatives and employers ended in deadlock Wednesday. The union accused Britain's Conservative government of scuttling the negotiations.
The union says the government is preventing employers from improving on the 3% pay raise on the table so far. Britain's inflation rate hit 9.1% in May, as Russia's war in Ukraine squeezes supplies of energy and food staples while post-pandemic consumer demand soars.
“Every time we get close, there’s some kind of maneuver somewhere outside of the room with people that we’re not talking to, that has an impact on what’s going on inside the room,” Eddie Dempsey, the union's deputy general secretary, said.
The government denies getting involved in negotiations, but Prime Minister Boris Johnson has put blame for the strike squarely on the union. The government also warned that big pay raises would spark a wage-price spiral driving inflation even higher.
All sides are keeping an eye on public frustration, with polls suggesting opinion is about evenly divided between support for and opposition to the strikes.
Unions have told the country to brace for more as workers face the worst cost-of-living squeeze in more than a generation. Lawyers are planning a walkout starting next week, and unions representing teachers and postal workers plan to consult their members about possible action.
Darren Pilling, an RMT union official on a picket line at Liverpool Lime Street station in northwest England, said he believed the public supported the strikes, “because everyone else is suffering just as much as we are.”
“I stood here for eight hours on Tuesday and had nothing but support and praise from people,” he said.
Few passengers walk at Waterloo East station as train services continue to be disrupted following the nationwide strike by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union along with London Underground workers in a bitter dispute over pay, jobs and conditions, in London, Thursday, June 23, 2022. (Victoria Jones/PA via AP)
Credit: Victoria Jones
Few passengers walk at Waterloo East station as train services continue to be disrupted following the nationwide strike by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union along with London Underground workers in a bitter dispute over pay, jobs and conditions, in London, Thursday, June 23, 2022. (Victoria Jones/PA via AP)
Credit: Victoria Jones
Credit: Victoria Jones
Empty platforms at Newcastle station, as train services continue to be disrupted following the nationwide strike by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union in a bitter dispute over pay, jobs and conditions, in Newcastle, England, Thursday, June 23, 2022. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)
Credit: Owen Humphreys
Empty platforms at Newcastle station, as train services continue to be disrupted following the nationwide strike by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union in a bitter dispute over pay, jobs and conditions, in Newcastle, England, Thursday, June 23, 2022. (Owen Humphreys/PA via AP)
Credit: Owen Humphreys
Credit: Owen Humphreys
Closed gates at Charing Cross Station, central London, as train services continue to be disrupted following the nationwide strike by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union in a bitter dispute over pay, jobs and conditions, in London, England, Thursday, June 23, 2022. (James Manning/PA via AP)
Credit: James Manning
Closed gates at Charing Cross Station, central London, as train services continue to be disrupted following the nationwide strike by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union in a bitter dispute over pay, jobs and conditions, in London, England, Thursday, June 23, 2022. (James Manning/PA via AP)
Credit: James Manning
Credit: James Manning
A quiet Paddington Station in London, as train services continue to be disrupted following the nationwide strike by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union in a bitter dispute over pay, jobs and conditions, in London, England, Thursday, June 23, 2022. (Ashlee Ruggels/PA via AP)
Credit: Ashlee Ruggels
A quiet Paddington Station in London, as train services continue to be disrupted following the nationwide strike by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union in a bitter dispute over pay, jobs and conditions, in London, England, Thursday, June 23, 2022. (Ashlee Ruggels/PA via AP)
Credit: Ashlee Ruggels
Credit: Ashlee Ruggels
Passengers at Edinburgh Waverley station, as train services continue to be disrupted following the nationwide strike by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union in a bitter dispute over pay, jobs and conditions, in Edinburgh, Scotland, Thursday, June 23, 2022. (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP)
Credit: Andrew Milligan
Passengers at Edinburgh Waverley station, as train services continue to be disrupted following the nationwide strike by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union in a bitter dispute over pay, jobs and conditions, in Edinburgh, Scotland, Thursday, June 23, 2022. (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP)
Credit: Andrew Milligan
Credit: Andrew Milligan
Festival goers walk through the campsite at the Glastonbury Festival in Worthy Farm, Somerset, England, Thursday, June 23, 2022. Thousands of people are returning to England's Glastonbury Festival as the five-day music and performing arts event reopened Wednesday for the first time in three years after being disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. (AP Photo/Scott Garfitt)
Credit: Scott Garfitt
Festival goers walk through the campsite at the Glastonbury Festival in Worthy Farm, Somerset, England, Thursday, June 23, 2022. Thousands of people are returning to England's Glastonbury Festival as the five-day music and performing arts event reopened Wednesday for the first time in three years after being disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. (AP Photo/Scott Garfitt)
Credit: Scott Garfitt
Credit: Scott Garfitt
Festival goers walk through the campsite at the Glastonbury Festival in Worthy Farm, Somerset, England, Thursday, June 23, 2022. Thousands of people are returning to England's Glastonbury Festival as the five-day music and performing arts event reopened Wednesday for the first time in three years after being disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. (AP Photo/Scott Garfitt)
Credit: Scott Garfitt
Festival goers walk through the campsite at the Glastonbury Festival in Worthy Farm, Somerset, England, Thursday, June 23, 2022. Thousands of people are returning to England's Glastonbury Festival as the five-day music and performing arts event reopened Wednesday for the first time in three years after being disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. (AP Photo/Scott Garfitt)
Credit: Scott Garfitt
Credit: Scott Garfitt
A quieter than normal Waterloo train station, in London, during a railway workers strike, Thursday, June 23, 2022. Tens of thousands of railway workers walked off the job in Britain on Tuesday, bringing the train network to a crawl in the country's biggest transit strike for three decades. Britain faces the second of three national railway strikes Thursday after new negotiations between union and employers ended in deadlock. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Credit: Matt Dunham
A quieter than normal Waterloo train station, in London, during a railway workers strike, Thursday, June 23, 2022. Tens of thousands of railway workers walked off the job in Britain on Tuesday, bringing the train network to a crawl in the country's biggest transit strike for three decades. Britain faces the second of three national railway strikes Thursday after new negotiations between union and employers ended in deadlock. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Credit: Matt Dunham
Credit: Matt Dunham
A strike sign is displayed by an entrance at Waterloo train station, in London, during a railway workers strike, Thursday, June 23, 2022. Millions of people in Britain faced disruption Thursday as railway staff staged their second national walkout this week. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Credit: Matt Dunham
A strike sign is displayed by an entrance at Waterloo train station, in London, during a railway workers strike, Thursday, June 23, 2022. Millions of people in Britain faced disruption Thursday as railway staff staged their second national walkout this week. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Credit: Matt Dunham
Credit: Matt Dunham
Passengers with camping equipment board a train to go to the Glastonbury music festival at Paddington railway station, in London, during a railway workers strike, Thursday, June 23, 2022. Tens of thousands of railway workers walked off the job in Britain on Tuesday, bringing the train network to a crawl in the country's biggest transit strike for three decades. Britain faces the second of three national railway strikes Thursday after new negotiations between union and employers ended in deadlock. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Credit: Matt Dunham
Passengers with camping equipment board a train to go to the Glastonbury music festival at Paddington railway station, in London, during a railway workers strike, Thursday, June 23, 2022. Tens of thousands of railway workers walked off the job in Britain on Tuesday, bringing the train network to a crawl in the country's biggest transit strike for three decades. Britain faces the second of three national railway strikes Thursday after new negotiations between union and employers ended in deadlock. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Credit: Matt Dunham
Credit: Matt Dunham
Workers and members of the RMT (The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers) union stand on a picket line outside Euston train station, in London, during a railway workers strike, Thursday, June 23, 2022. Tens of thousands of railway workers walked off the job in Britain on Tuesday, bringing the train network to a crawl in the country's biggest transit strike for three decades. Britain faces the second of three national railway strikes Thursday after new negotiations between union and employers ended in deadlock. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Credit: Matt Dunham
Workers and members of the RMT (The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers) union stand on a picket line outside Euston train station, in London, during a railway workers strike, Thursday, June 23, 2022. Tens of thousands of railway workers walked off the job in Britain on Tuesday, bringing the train network to a crawl in the country's biggest transit strike for three decades. Britain faces the second of three national railway strikes Thursday after new negotiations between union and employers ended in deadlock. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Credit: Matt Dunham
Credit: Matt Dunham
Passengers with camping equipment walk to board a train to go to the Glastonbury music festival at Paddington railway station, in London, during a railway workers strike, Thursday, June 23, 2022. Tens of thousands of railway workers walked off the job in Britain on Tuesday, bringing the train network to a crawl in the country's biggest transit strike for three decades. Britain faces the second of three national railway strikes Thursday after new negotiations between union and employers ended in deadlock. . (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Credit: Matt Dunham
Passengers with camping equipment walk to board a train to go to the Glastonbury music festival at Paddington railway station, in London, during a railway workers strike, Thursday, June 23, 2022. Tens of thousands of railway workers walked off the job in Britain on Tuesday, bringing the train network to a crawl in the country's biggest transit strike for three decades. Britain faces the second of three national railway strikes Thursday after new negotiations between union and employers ended in deadlock. . (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Credit: Matt Dunham
Credit: Matt Dunham
Passengers with camping equipment wait to be allowed to board a train to go to the Glastonbury music festival at Paddington railway station, in London, during a railway workers strike, Thursday, June 23, 2022. Tens of thousands of railway workers walked off the job in Britain on Tuesday, bringing the train network to a crawl in the country's biggest transit strike for three decades. Britain faces the second of three national railway strikes Thursday after new negotiations between union and employers ended in deadlock. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Credit: Matt Dunham
Passengers with camping equipment wait to be allowed to board a train to go to the Glastonbury music festival at Paddington railway station, in London, during a railway workers strike, Thursday, June 23, 2022. Tens of thousands of railway workers walked off the job in Britain on Tuesday, bringing the train network to a crawl in the country's biggest transit strike for three decades. Britain faces the second of three national railway strikes Thursday after new negotiations between union and employers ended in deadlock. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Credit: Matt Dunham
Credit: Matt Dunham
Passengers with camping equipment walk to board a train to go to the Glastonbury music festival at Paddington railway station, in London, during a railway workers strike, Thursday, June 23, 2022. Millions of people in Britain faced disruption Thursday as railway staff staged their second national walkout this week. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Credit: Matt Dunham
Passengers with camping equipment walk to board a train to go to the Glastonbury music festival at Paddington railway station, in London, during a railway workers strike, Thursday, June 23, 2022. Millions of people in Britain faced disruption Thursday as railway staff staged their second national walkout this week. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Credit: Matt Dunham
Credit: Matt Dunham
Workers and members of the RMT (The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers) union stand on a picket line outside Paddington train station, in London, during a railway workers strike, Thursday, June 23, 2022. Millions of people in Britain faced disruption Thursday as railway staff staged their second national walkout this week. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Credit: Matt Dunham
Workers and members of the RMT (The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers) union stand on a picket line outside Paddington train station, in London, during a railway workers strike, Thursday, June 23, 2022. Millions of people in Britain faced disruption Thursday as railway staff staged their second national walkout this week. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Credit: Matt Dunham
Credit: Matt Dunham
Workers and members of the RMT (The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers) union stand in the rain on a picket line outside King's Cross station, in London, during a railway workers strike, Thursday, June 23, 2022. Tens of thousands of railway workers walked off the job in Britain on Tuesday, bringing the train network to a crawl in the country's biggest transit strike for three decades. The Rail, Maritime and Transport Union accused the government of "wrecking" Wednesday's talks and said the 24-hour walkout by 40,000 cleaners, signalers, maintenance workers and station staff would go ahead as planned. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Credit: Matt Dunham
Workers and members of the RMT (The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers) union stand in the rain on a picket line outside King's Cross station, in London, during a railway workers strike, Thursday, June 23, 2022. Tens of thousands of railway workers walked off the job in Britain on Tuesday, bringing the train network to a crawl in the country's biggest transit strike for three decades. The Rail, Maritime and Transport Union accused the government of "wrecking" Wednesday's talks and said the 24-hour walkout by 40,000 cleaners, signalers, maintenance workers and station staff would go ahead as planned. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Credit: Matt Dunham
Credit: Matt Dunham
Workers and members of the RMT (The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers) union hold up banners and placards as they pose for photographs whilst standing in the rain on a picket line outside King's Cross station, in London, during a railway workers strike, Thursday, June 23, 2022. Tens of thousands of railway workers walked off the job in Britain on Tuesday, bringing the train network to a crawl in the country's biggest transit strike for three decades. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Credit: Matt Dunham
Workers and members of the RMT (The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers) union hold up banners and placards as they pose for photographs whilst standing in the rain on a picket line outside King's Cross station, in London, during a railway workers strike, Thursday, June 23, 2022. Tens of thousands of railway workers walked off the job in Britain on Tuesday, bringing the train network to a crawl in the country's biggest transit strike for three decades. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Credit: Matt Dunham
Credit: Matt Dunham
The camping bags of passengers going to the Glastonbury music festival fill the overheads on a train before it left Paddington railway station, in London, during a railway workers strike, Thursday, June 23, 2022. Millions of people in Britain faced disruption Thursday as railway staff staged their second national walkout this week. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Credit: Matt Dunham
The camping bags of passengers going to the Glastonbury music festival fill the overheads on a train before it left Paddington railway station, in London, during a railway workers strike, Thursday, June 23, 2022. Millions of people in Britain faced disruption Thursday as railway staff staged their second national walkout this week. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Credit: Matt Dunham
Credit: Matt Dunham
Passengers with camping equipment board a train to go to the Glastonbury music festival at Paddington railway station, in London, during a railway workers strike, Thursday, June 23, 2022. Tens of thousands of railway workers walked off the job in Britain on Tuesday, bringing the train network to a crawl in the country's biggest transit strike for three decades. Britain faces the second of three national railway strikes Thursday after new negotiations between union and employers ended in deadlock. The Rail, Maritime and Transport Union accused the government of "wrecking" Wednesday's talks and said the 24-hour walkout by 40,000 cleaners, signalers, maintenance workers and station staff would go ahead as planned. The union's action this week is Britain's biggest and most disruptive railway strike for 30 years. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Credit: Matt Dunham
Passengers with camping equipment board a train to go to the Glastonbury music festival at Paddington railway station, in London, during a railway workers strike, Thursday, June 23, 2022. Tens of thousands of railway workers walked off the job in Britain on Tuesday, bringing the train network to a crawl in the country's biggest transit strike for three decades. Britain faces the second of three national railway strikes Thursday after new negotiations between union and employers ended in deadlock. The Rail, Maritime and Transport Union accused the government of "wrecking" Wednesday's talks and said the 24-hour walkout by 40,000 cleaners, signalers, maintenance workers and station staff would go ahead as planned. The union's action this week is Britain's biggest and most disruptive railway strike for 30 years. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Credit: Matt Dunham
Credit: Matt Dunham
