London Tram Strike: Could Wimbledon Be in Jeopardy?

After London tram engineers scheduled strikes to coincide with Wimbledon, an update was revealed that could make or break the tournament.

Potential Strike Chaos

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There has been an update on the scheduled London tram strike that could cause chaos during the Wimbledon Championships.

Wimbledon Fans Face Trouble

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The tennis tournament, which runs from July 1st until July 14th, will attract fans from all over the world, but this year could be much harder.

TfL Dispute Takes Turn

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After much dispute between tram engineers and bosses at TfL (Transport for London), officials can finally offer an update on the possible strike.

Dispute Concluded Just in Time

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The dispute focused on pay for TfL workers and finally concluded just days before the Wimbledon Championships started.

Trams to Run as Normal

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A spokesperson for TfL, Navid Golshan, revealed that the dispute had been “resolved” and work would continue as normal throughout the tournament.

Industrial Action Withdrawn

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“We are pleased that we have resolved this dispute with Unite and the union has withdrawn their industrial action by the London Trams engineers,” Golshan said.

Tram Availability Affected

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Despite this announcement, tram availability could still be scarce, with Golshan admitting they will run “as many services as possible”.

Tram Engineers’ Realisation

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According to reports, the strikes were initiated after tram engineers found out they were being paid £10,000 less than their colleagues.

Engineers Angered by Unfair Pay

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The tram engineers must achieve the same qualifications as their colleagues in order to be considered for the role, causing them to react.

Preparing Strikes to Delay Wimbledon

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As a result, the Unite union planned a strike to coincide with the Wimbledon tournament, causing delays on stations essential for travel to the tournament.

Strike Dates Avoided

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Unite planned strikes between 1st-8th July, then another strike from 11th-15th July, making up for almost the entire tournament.

A Busy Time for Wimbledon

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Avoiding the strikes was essential for the All-England Tennis Club to run smoothly, especially as it appeared to be the last outing at a British Grand Slam for one fan favourite.

Murray’s Last Dance

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British tennis star Andy Murray announced that this Wimbledon would be his last after struggles with injury.

Brits Flock to Witness Greatness

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More Brits than ever are expected to flock to Wimbledon this year to try and catch a glimpse of Murray’s final outing, although many were left disappointed.

Murray Gets Time to Decide

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The Championships, which prides itself on tradition and heritage, gave Murray the most time possible to decide whether he could play or not by giving him the last slot.

Murray’s Disappointing Announcement

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Despite the time given, it wasn’t enough. Andy Murray announced he would not play in the Men’s Singles tournament this year, but there is something still to cheer about.

Still Hope for Fans

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The 37-year-old Andy Murray still hopes to play in the Men’s Doubles with his brother, James Murray, in this Wimbledon tournament.

Fans Camp for Tickets

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Fans on Monday morning were pitching tents at the crack of dawn in order to get tickets for what could have been Murray’s last single’s performance at Wimbledon the next day.

Fans Left Disappointed

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Now, those fans would be left disappointed as their efforts to see Murray would be a waste of time. 

TfL and Unite Save Fans

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Despite the fans’ disappointment, at least they managed to get to the tournament on time. The agreement between Unite and TfL saved fans from a potential nightmare.

Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Cristian M Balate.

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