Connect with us

Foreign News

Train Drivers at 8 Rail Companies in Britain Vote to Strike 

Published

on

Share

In Britain, train drivers have voted overwhelmingly to strike over pay, increasing the threat of huge disruption to rail services this summer.

Members of the drivers union Aslef at eight train companies backed campaigns of industrial action.

Aslef members at Chiltern, LNER, Northern, TransPennine Express, Arriva Rail London, Great Western, Southeastern and West Midlands Trains voted by around 9-1 in favour of strikes on turnouts of more than 80%.

Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef, said: “Strikes are always the last resort.

“We don’t want to inconvenience passengers – our friends and families use public transport, too – and we don’t want to lose money by going on strike but we’ve been forced into this position by the companies driven by the government.

“Many of our members – who were the men and women who moved key workers and goods around the country during the pandemic – have not had a pay rise since 2019.

“With inflation running at north of 10 per cent that means those drivers have had a real terms pay cut over the last three years.

“We want an increase in line with the cost of living – we want to be able to buy, in 2022, what we could buy in 2021.

“It’s not unreasonable to ask your employer to make sure you’re not worse off for three years in a row.

“Especially as the train companies are doing very nicely, thank you, out of Britain’s railways, with handsome profits, dividends for shareholders, and big salaries for managers.”

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “It is very disappointing that, rather than commit to serious dialogue with the industry, Aslef are first seeking to cause further misery to passengers by joining others in disrupting the rail network.

“The train drivers they represent earn, on average, just under £60,000 per year – more than twice the UK median salary and significantly more than the very workers who will be most impacted by these strikes.

“Our railway is in desperate need of modernisation to make it work better for passengers and be financially sustainable for the long term.

“We urge the union bosses to reconsider and work with its employers, not against them, to agree a new way forward.”

A spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group said: “We want to see rail unions engage with train operators over the reforms needed to secure a bright long-term future for the industry, including working with Aslef to deliver the more punctual, reliable services we know passengers care about.

“Instead of causing further disruption to passengers and businesses, we urge the Aslef leadership to continue talks.”

Meanwhile, the Transport Salaried Staffs Association announced that hundreds of its members at Southeastern have voted for strikes and other forms of industrial action over pay, job security and conditions.

The union is not naming dates for any industrial action today, but will now consider the next steps with workplace reps.

General secretary Manuel Cortes said: “This is a great result for our union and comes hard on the heels of similar votes at a raft of other train operating companies, with results expected from our Network Rail members imminently.

“The results demonstrate that our members are utterly determined to fight for their pay, jobs, and conditions.

“They are right to do so amid the escalating Tory cost-of-living crisis and with a chaotic government hell bent on making swinging cuts to our rail network while inflation rages.

“It would be unwise for any rail company to ignore the feelings of our membership.

“We will soon speak to our workplace reps to consider next steps in the forthcoming days.

“If ministers had any sense they would come to the table and sort this out, so we have a fair settlement for workers who were hailed as heroes in the pandemic.”

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “We congratulate our friends in Aslef for their superb ballot result and the huge mandate they have for strike action on the railways.

“It goes to show that railway workers across every grade from cleaners, catering staff, guards, maintenance staff, and drivers are fed up with real-terms pay cuts, attacks on job security, and working conditions.

“When railway unions and others unite, they are an unstoppable force in the workplace and wider society.

“Grant Shapps (Transport Secretary) needs to stop messing around with his doomed Tory leadership bid and get back to focusing on resolving this dispute.

“He continues to shackle both Network Rail and the train companies from reaching a deal with the RMT, something we have done repeatedly and successfully since privatisation in 1993.

“Mr Shapps should either get around the table or get out of the way because at the moment, he is the major roadblock to a negotiated settlement.” (dpa NAN)

Foreign News

Ally of Cameroon President, 92, Quits ‘Broken’ Government to Challenge Him

Published

on

Share

Issa Tchiroma Bakary – a prominent minister and long-time ally of President Paul Biya – has quit Cameroon’s government, in the hope of ending 92-year-old Biya’s four-decade grip on power in upcoming elections.

Just four months before the central African nation went to the polls, Tchiroma said the Biya administration he belonged to had “broken” public trust and he was switching to a rival party.

“A country cannot exist in the service of one man,” he said on Wednesday.

While he was communications minister, Tchiroma notably came under fire for denying – then backtracking on his denial – that Cameroonian soldiers had killed women and children in a viral video.

His other roles during almost two decades in government include being a spokesman for the Biya government, and, until his resignation on Tuesday, he was employment minister.

Paul Biya – the world’s oldest head of state – has yet to confirm if he will attempt an eighth term as president. Last year, the country banned reports on the president’s health following rumours he had died.

As this election approaches, high unemployment and soaring living costs are of concern to many Cameroonians, as are corruption and security. A separatist insurgency in the English-speaking provinces as well as jihadists operating in the northernmost region have forced many thousands of Cameroonians from their homes in the past decade.

Cracks in Tchiroma’s relationship with President Biya were blown open earlier this month, when he told crowds in his home city of Garoua that Biya’s time in power had not benefited them in any way.

Tchiroma, widely reported to be 75, continued this criticism in a 24-page manifesto released a day after his resignation – promising to dismantle “the old system” so that Cameroon could move beyond “abuse, contempt, and the confiscation of power”.

One of his proposed solutions is federalism – he is offering to hold a referendum on devolving more power to Cameroon’s 10 provinces. This has long been mooted by many as a solution to the country’s so-called Anglophone crisis.

Specifically addressing English-speaking Cameroonians, who have long complained of marginalisation and discrimination in Francophone-dominated public institutions, he said “you do not need people to speak for you – you need to be listened to” and that “centralisation has failed”.

Tchiroma also used his manifesto to say Cameroon “has been ruled for decades by the same vision, the same system. This model, long presented as a safeguard of stability, has gradually stifled progress, paralysed our institutions, and broken the bond of trust between the state and its citizens”.

As the October presidential election approaches, rights groups have condemned the government’s crackdown on dissent.

Shortly after Tchiroma announced his plans to run for the presidency, the government reportedly announced a ban on all political activities by his Cameroon National Salvation Front (CNSF) party in a sub-district of the Far North region – a part of the country where he is said to be an influential power-broker.

Weeks earlier, fellow presidential hopeful Maurice Kamto had his movements curtailed during a two-day police stakeout in Douala, after promising supporters at a rally in Paris that he would protect Biya and his family if he wins in October.

Parliamentary elections that were also supposed to take place earlier this year have been delayed until 2026.

Reaction to Tchiroma’s presidential bid has been mixed – some think he is canny.

“By positioning himself as the elder statesman who ‘saw the fire coming’, Tchiroma is hedging that his break with Biya will be seen as bold – not opportunistic,” Cameroonian analyst and broadcaster Jules Domshe said.

“From economic fallout to youth unemployment, insecurity, and growing unrest in the North-West, South-West, and Far North [regions], Cameroon is ripe for change.”

Opposition voices are divided – some want Tchiroma to support Kamto, who was the runner-up in 2018 with 14% of votes. But others say he is tainted by his long association with Biya.

“He cannot embody change… He was part of the system for too long. The youth do not trust him,” says Abdoulaye Harissou, a legal notary and prominent critic once detained by the government.

Another member of the opposition – Jean Michel Nintcheu of the APC coalition – simply said: “We don’t see Tchiroma as a potential winner.”

ReplyReply allForwardAdd reaction

Continue Reading

Foreign News

Crash Kills 29 Pupils Taking Exams after Blast in Central Africa

Published

on

Share

Torough David, Abuja

Twenty-nine children who were taking their school exams in the Central African Republic have been killed in a crash after a nearby explosion caused panic, a hospital director disclosed.

The blast, on the second day of the high-school finals on Wednesday, occurred at an electricity transformer, said Abel Assaye from the Bangui community hospital.

“The noise of the explosion, combined with smoke” caused alarm among the almost 6,000 students sitting the baccalaureate at a school in the capital, Bangui, local radio station Ndeke Luka reported.

President Faustin-Archange Touadéra has declared a period of national mourning.

He also ordered that the more than 280 who were wounded in the crash get free treatment in hospital.

Students from five different schools in the capital had gone to the Lycée Barthélémy Boganda to sit the baccalaureate exam.

The education ministry said the explosion happened after power was restored at the electricity transformer, located on the ground floor of the main building that had been undergoing repairs.

“I also offer our sincere condolences to the parents of the affected candidates and wish a speedy recovery to the injured candidates,” Education Minister Aurelien-Simplice Kongbelet-Zimgas said in a statement.

He also announced the suspension of further exams.

A female survivor said.

“I don’t even remember what happened. We were in the exam room and when I heard a noise, I immediately fell into a daze,” she said. “Since then, I have had a pain in my pelvis that is causing me a lot of problems.”

Radio France Internationale spoke to another student whose face was covered in blood after he had climbed out of a window.

Magloire explained that the blast happened during the history and geography exam.

“The students wanted to save their lives, and as they fled, they saw death because there were so many people and the door was really small. Not everyone could get out,” he told RFI.

The CAR continues to face political instability and security challenges.

Government forces, backed by Russian mercenaries, are battling armed groups threatening to overthrow Touadéra’s administration.

Continue Reading

Foreign News

Zambia Raises Concern over Declining Donor Funding for Refugee Programme

Published

on

Share

By Torough David, Abuja

The Zambian government has expressed concern over the continued decline in donor funding for the refugee programme in the country, saying the government is grappling with increasing dwindling of financial support from international donors.

Minister of Home Affairs and Internal Security, Jack Mwiimbu, while acknowledging the progress made in improving the welfare of refugees, said the trend is adversely affecting the scope and effectiveness of refugee support initiatives.

“This constrains critical areas such as service delivery, infrastructure development, and livelihood opportunities for both refugees and host communities,’’ Mwiimbu told an event marking the World Refugee Day, which falls each year on June 20.

The minister emphasised the urgent need for increased, predictable, and sustainable funding to scale up Zambia’s inclusive refugee response and to maintain and expand existing services.

Despite the funding challenges, Mwiimbu said, the government remains committed to protection and support for individuals forced to flee their countries due to conflict, persecution, or other crises.

This commitment has been strengthened through the adoption of the National Refugee Policy in 2023, which outlines Zambia’s vision for refugee protection, inclusion, and resilience, the minister said.

In addition, he said, the government is undertaking key legal reforms to harmonise laws affecting refugees, intending to create a more enabling and rights-based legal environment.

She said the reforms are intended to address legal gaps and enhance accountability and the rights of refugees.

Preeta Law, the country representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), commended Zambia for its inclusive policies that have benefited over 110,000 asylum-seekers, refugees, and former refugees.

She noted a positive shift in Zambia’s approach from short-term humanitarian assistance to long-term development strategies that promote inclusion, resilience, and self-reliance among refugee populations.

However, Law said, refugees in Zambia still face “invisible barriers” that limit their full potential, including restrictions on movement and access to opportunities.

“If we are serious, we must dismantle these invisible barriers so that refugees can access tertiary education, compete for jobs, move freely and fully contribute to Zambia,’’ she said.

Crash Kills 29 Pupils Taking Exams after Blast in Central Africa

Twenty-nine children who were taking their school exams in the Central African Republic have been killed in a crash after a nearby explosion caused panic, a hospital director disclosed.

The blast, on the second day of the high-school finals on Wednesday, occurred at an electricity transformer, said Abel Assaye from the Bangui community hospital.

“The noise of the explosion, combined with smoke” caused alarm among the almost 6,000 students sitting the baccalaureate at a school in the capital, Bangui, local radio station Ndeke Luka reported.

President Faustin-Archange Touadéra has declared a period of national mourning.

He also ordered that the more than 280 who were wounded in the crash get free treatment in hospital.

Students from five different schools in the capital had gone to the Lycée Barthélémy Boganda to sit the baccalaureate exam.

The education ministry said the explosion happened after power was restored at the electricity transformer, located on the ground floor of the main building that had been undergoing repairs.

“I also offer our sincere condolences to the parents of the affected candidates and wish a speedy recovery to the injured candidates,” Education Minister Aurelien-Simplice Kongbelet-Zimgas said in a statement.

He also announced the suspension of further exams.

A female survivor said.

“I don’t even remember what happened. We were in the exam room and when I heard a noise, I immediately fell into a daze,” she said. “Since then, I have had a pain in my pelvis that is causing me a lot of problems.”

Radio France Internationale spoke to another student whose face was covered in blood after he had climbed out of a window.

Magloire explained that the blast happened during the history and geography exam.

“The students wanted to save their lives, and as they fled, they saw death because there were so many people and the door was really small. Not everyone could get out,” he told RFI.

The CAR continues to face political instability and security challenges.

Government forces, backed by Russian mercenaries, are battling armed groups threatening to overthrow Touadéra’s administration.

Continue Reading

Read Our ePaper

Top Stories

POLITICS9 hours ago

SDP State Chairmen Back Gabam’s Suspension

ShareBy Mike Odiakose, Abuja State Chairmen of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) have declared full support for the suspension of...

General News12 hours ago

Benue is Bleeding: The Demand for Justice by Benue Peoples in Diaspora Must be Heard

ShareBy Benue Diaspora Groups Deep in the heart of Nigeria’s North Central geo-political zone, precisely in Benue state, a humanitarian...

POLITICS1 day ago

Anambra Guber: APC ’ll Deploy Grassroots-based Campaign to Sweep Poll – Ukachukwu

ShareTorough David, Abuja The Anambra All Progressive Congress (APC) said it will deploy a grassroots-based campaign strategy to sweep the...

POLITICS1 day ago

INEC Resumes CVR in Anambra July 17, Nationwide Aug. 18

Share Torough David, Abuja The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) will resume in Anambra...

NEWS1 day ago

Diri Campaigns Against Drug Abuse, Trafficking

ShareFrom Mike Tayese, Yenagoa Bayelsa State Governor, Sen. Douye Diri yesterday, led a campaign against drug abuse and illicit trafficking...

BUSINESS1 day ago

Nigeria Can Lead Africa’s Economic Growth – CIoD

ShareThe outgoing President, Chartered Institute of Directors Nigeria (CIoD), Alhaji Tijjani Borodo has expressed optimism that Nigeria will likely lead...

BUSINESS1 day ago

WTO DG Commends Nigeria Customs for Strides in Trade Modernization

ShareThe Director-General (D-G), World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has commended the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for its remarkable...

Foreign News1 day ago

Ally of Cameroon President, 92, Quits ‘Broken’ Government to Challenge Him

ShareIssa Tchiroma Bakary – a prominent minister and long-time ally of President Paul Biya – has quit Cameroon’s government, in...

Foreign News1 day ago

Crash Kills 29 Pupils Taking Exams after Blast in Central Africa

ShareTorough David, Abuja Twenty-nine children who were taking their school exams in the Central African Republic have been killed in...

Foreign News1 day ago

Zambia Raises Concern over Declining Donor Funding for Refugee Programme

ShareBy Torough David, Abuja The Zambian government has expressed concern over the continued decline in donor funding for the refugee...

Copyright © 2021 Daily Asset Limited | Powered by ObajeSoft Inc