Bernie Bros beware: Unions and socialism screwed England

The United Kingdom is renowned for its reliably overcast weather. While the U.K. (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales) rarely experiences Chicago-style freezes, its weather is far from Floridian. Whether in Belfast, Cardiff, London, or Edinburgh, most days bring a mix of rain and wind.

Sad. Still, Britain’s climate informs the central part of the British psyche: mild moroseness.

But that moroseness is not sourced solely from the weather. It is also a consequence of powerful unions that like to wreak havoc at critical times of the year. Consider what’s happening in the U.K. as the Christmas period begins.

Today, tomorrow, and Friday, one of England’s busiest train networks, Southern Rail, is not operating. Its drivers are striking as part of a long-running dispute. They will strike again on December 19th and for two days over New Year’s Eve. They will also strike for an entire week in mid-January!

This is no small inconvenience for Southern Rail passengers, or to London businesses who need their staff to get to work. As the BBC notes, “about 300,000 passengers travel on 2,242 Southern services each day’’. It’s an important route for those who live outside of London but work there.