Today is as normal for rail travellers at the railway town of Entroncamento. Yesterday’s rather solid strike – I did see one train moving during the evening – produced few after effects, and large numbers of folks were on the move once more.
These people are the ones worst affected by industrial action: the young, the elderly, and those who have relocated to the area in the expectation of a decent train service and more reliable communications with the rest of the country. All are groups that the strikers mess around at their peril.
Why so? Well, the young may then aspire to move to car ownership rather more quickly than before, the elderly are more ready to cast their vote against any party supporting strike action, and those who relocated to the area, being of some mobility, may just as easily relocate elsewhere.
There is another “morning strike” tomorrow – this is not uncommon in Portugal, though it may mystify Brits – so from 0530 hours (basically, start of the day’s passenger service) until 1000 hours, expect very little to be moving by rail.
I appreciate there are grievances, but also hope that reality hits home soon.
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