Strikes are not only taking place at British airports: in France, traveling by train during the holidays is becoming a challenge.
Merry Christmas? Are you kidding me? Are you serious when you say that? In England and France, travelers need nerves of steel – and longer. At London’s Heathrow Airport, ground staff are threatening a 72-hour strike from Thursday 29 December. Terminals 2, 3 and 4 are on strike until 1 January. Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa and Swiss, among others, are handled there. Border guards at London’s Heathrow and Gatwick airports and at Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff and Glasgow airports have been on strike since Friday, which is expected to last until December 26. From 28 to 31 December they want to stop working again. Whoever arrives has to deal with delays and long queues.
British train and bus drivers follow
The army, among others, stepped in for the checks. About a quarter of a million people were expected at the affected airports on Friday. The staff strike at British airports follows strikes by nurses and emergency services in recent days. During the Christmas period, employees on the railways and on London buses also want to lay off their jobs. In addition, the employees of the post office went on strike again on Friday. Everyone is demanding higher wages after inflation is now approaching eleven percent and wages have been stagnant in some cases for years. “I am truly saddened and disappointed by the impact on so many people’s lives, especially at Christmas time,” said British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
France: New Year’s strike averted
In France, train conductors stopped working from Thursday evening to Monday morning. Two out of five trains are canceled on Saturday and Sunday. The boss of the railway company SNCF, Jean-Pierre Farandou, still saw hope for the New Year weekend. There was still time, negotiations continued: “There is no reason to punish the French twice.” Finally, the group also announced that the upcoming railway strike had been averted by New Year’s. The railway company SNCF and four trade unions had agreed on the wage dispute.
However, the disruptions during the Christmas weekend remain unchanged. In France, trains are often fully booked well in advance and a journey is only possible with a seat reservation.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
