London Transport Drivers Walk Out Amid 34 °C Heatwave

In parts of London where temperatures have risen to 34 °C, transport drivers staged mass walkouts. The action is described as being “led by the union Unite”. The Guardian notes that the walkout targets the immediate symptom of extreme heat for workers rather than the underlying driver of global heating.

The Guardian

The same report highlights that Unite is simultaneously pressing the Burnham government to grant licences for the Rosebank oilfield and the Jackdaw gasfield. Critics argue that advocating for new North Sea hydrocarbon extraction conflicts with the union’s climate-focused demands for a “just transition” of skills into the renewables economy. The article calls for the hydrocarbons to remain untapped in the long-term interest of the public.

The Guardian

The Guardian previously documented air-conditioned jackets for Japanese workers on July 25, 2023, and notes that similar jackets are being issued to street sweepers in Chinese cities this summer.

The Guardian

John Harris, a union representative, emphasized the union’s leadership of the walkout. Edward Jackson Crediton of Devon praised Harris for highlighting the lack of worker protection in extreme heat. Alan Gray of Brighton added that the walkout underscores broader climate-related labour concerns. No formal response from the Burnham government is recorded in the source.

The Guardian

• “Everything is being led by the union Unite” — John Harris

The Guardian