(The following story appeared on the Associated Press wire.)
LONDON — Train drivers employed by Britain’s largest rail freight company began a 24-hour strike Saturday after unions rejected a pay offer.
More than 2,500 drivers for English, Welsh & Scottish Railway (EWS) walked out at 3 p.m. (1500GMT), leading to the cancellation of around 500 trains.
The company said it made two offers to the Rail Maritime and Transport Union and ASLEF. One was for a four percent pay raise over two years and a reduction in the working week to 35 hours by April 2004. An alternative offer would have given drivers a 9.4 percent raise over two years.
As the strike began, ASLEF spokesman Andrew Murray said members were not satisfied with the current offers. “But we are engaged in negotiations and hope that a deal will be reached next week,” he added.
“There is a further strike planned for the same time next Saturday if the dispute is not settled, so there is plenty of time in the week to sort it out.”
“This dispute is totally unnecessary as EWS has made two substantial and fair offers,” said Allen Johnson, the company’s chief operating officer.
The company runs freight trains across the country’s rail network and through the Channel Tunnel to mainland Europe.
Over the last year, Britain’s privatized rail system has been hit by a series of short, localized strikes over pay and safety.