UK set for national railway strike as last-ditch talks fail

By JILL LAWLESS
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Britain is facing its biggest rail strikes in decades after last-minute talks between a union and train companies failed to reach a settlement over pay and job security. Up to 40,000 cleaners, signalers, maintenance workers and station staff are due to walk out for three days this week, on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The strike is expected to shut down the rail network across the country. Millions of people in Britain are seeing their cost of living soar, and unions say a new wave of strikes is likely if they don’t get pay increases. The Conservative government says large raises will spark a wage-price spiral driving inflation even higher.