Railway workers are not the only ones to warn about their working conditions and their low purchasing power. As many sectors threaten to go on strike in the UK, on speaks of “the summer of discontent”. A comparison with the winter of the same name, in 1978, which led to the defeat of the government.
Despite a historic strike a month ago, the largest in 30 years, the situation of railway workers has so far not changed. They are demanding wage increases as well as the improvement of their working conditions, and plan to continue the strike on Saturday August 30, with only 20% of the traffic guaranteed. The London Underground will also join the protest in less than a month, to demand better pensions.
A social anger shared by British Airways pilots, who also want to see their salaries increase. Employees of the Royal Mail, the equivalent of La Poste, could also stop work this summer. The teachers’ unions are not to be outdone: they are demanding a 12% salary increase, under penalty of blocking the education system in the fall.
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As prices soar, especially those of energy, and inflation flirts with 10%, the spirit of protest is winning over more and more Britons. Many other trades are also claiming better purchasing power, such as nurses, lawyers, and British Telecom engineers.
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A subject that will not be able to avoid the successor to Boris Johnson, who resigned on July 7 after a series of scandals. The name of the next Prime Minister will be known on September 5. The race is now between the head of diplomacy, Liz Truss, and the former finance minister, Rishi Sunak.