The strikes risk causing significant disruption to major events including the Glastonbury music festival.


London: Britain's railway workers have begun the network's biggest strike action in more than three decades, as a cost-of-living crisis caused by surging inflation risks wider industrial action.
Last-ditch talks to avert the strike broke down on Monday, meaning more than 50,000 members of rail union RMT will walk out for three days this week.
RMT general-secretary Mick Lynch described as "unacceptable" offers of below-inflation pay rises by both overground train operators and London Underground that runs the Tube in the capital.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the government was doing everything it could to minimise the expected "mass disruption".
But he told parliament on Monday: "It's estimated that around 20 percent of planned services will operate, focused on key workers, main population centres and critical freight routes."
Disruption throughout week
The strikes –– also on Thursday and Saturday –– risk causing significant disruption to major events including the Glastonbury music festival.
Schools are warning that thousands of teenagers taking national exams will also be affected.
The strikes are the biggest dispute on Britain's railway network since 1989, according to the RMT.
Rail operators, however, warn of disruption throughout the week, with lines not affected by strike action still having to reduce services.
RMT members on the London Underground are additionally staging a 24-hour Tube train stoppage Tuesday.
The union argues the strikes are necessary as wages have failed to keep pace with UK inflation, which has hit a 40-year high and is on course to keep rising.
Source: AFP

Mashreq Digital Bank in Pakistan, Pakistanis in Emirates can send remittances for free
- an hour ago

Why is Trump suing the New York Times?
- 3 hours ago

Trump asks the Supreme Court to give him total control over the US economy
- 3 hours ago

Joint statement on state visit of PM Shehbaz to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- 2 hours ago

Our hottest takes on AI’s wild summer
- 5 hours ago

Dabo defends record following 1-2 start, poll exit
- 4 hours ago

A Democratic senator on the fights his party has to pick
- 3 hours ago

Sony’s new Xperia phone jumps on the camera bar bandwagon
- 5 hours ago

Steelers likely to adjust after gaffe; Highsmith out
- 4 hours ago

3 cops killed in shooting in US state of Pennsylvania
- 2 hours ago

Spotify’s free users can finally play the songs they want
- 5 hours ago

Trump says foreign workers are ‘welcome’ after ICE raid in Georgia targets hundreds of South Koreans
- 5 hours ago