Maersk warning: logistics will be interrupted! The country will face the largest wave of strikes in 30 years!
Since the summer of this year, workers from all industries in the UK have frequently gone on strike to fight for wage increases. After entering December, there has been an unprecedented wave of strikes. According to a report in the British Times on the 6th, about 40,000 railway employees will go on strike on December 13, 14, 16, 17 and from Christmas Eve to December 27, and almost all railway networks will be closed.
According to the BBC, the inflation rate in the UK has reached 11%, and the cost of living has increased, leading to frequent strikes in many industries in the past few months. The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers(RMT) announced on December 5 that it is expected that about 40,000 rail workers in Network Rail and train companies will plan to strike for 4 days from 6 pm on Christmas Eve. Strike until the 27th is to fight for better wages and benefits. Then, there will be traffic disruptions in the days before and after the strike. RMT said this was an addition to the strike by rail workers that had already been announced and started next week. The Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) announced on December 2 that railway workers would hold four 48-hour strike actions: December 13-14, December 16-17, January 3-4 next year, and January 6-7 next year.
Since the beginning of December, several unions have continued to lead the strike of railway workers, and the staff of Eurostar train will also go on strike for several days. RMT has announced that more than 40,000 railway workers will launch several rounds of strikes. Following the Christmas strike, the next round will be in January next year. Shipping will also be affected around the New Year holiday. Maersk said the strike would cause significant disruption to the entire UK rail network. Maersk is working closely with railway freight operators every day to understand the impact of strikes on inland operations, and to notify customers of schedule changes and cancellations in a timely manner to minimize disruption to customers. Customers are advised to plan in advance to reduce the impact on their shipment schedule.
The RMT held a new round of negotiations with Network Rail, which operates the railway, but it could not reach a satisfactory result for both parties. However, rail is not the only industry currently facing strike action in the UK. Ambulance workers supported the strike and it may happen before Christmas. In recent months, there have been waves of strikes in British education, postal services, and other industries.
In response to the general strike, Nick Gibb from the government said the RMT’s actions are “very disappointing” over announcing a new rail strike over the Christmas period. Gibb said RMT rejected the pay offer without even consulting their own members. Mick Lynch from RMT said the union regretted the inconvenience caused by the strike and said: “This inconvenience is being caused by the Government”. According to the British Financial Times news, the United Kingdom has set up a special department to deal with strike waves of contingency planning, forecasting future strikes, and monitoring the government’s response. Sellers on the UK station should pay attention to the latest logistics arrangements for shipments!
