London Mayor Sadiq Khan 'confident' November Tube strikes will be called off

Noah Vickers
Sat 19 October 2024 

London Mayor Sadiq Khan 'confident' November Tube strikes will be called off


Sadiq Khan has said he is “confident” that Tube strikes planned by unions to take place in the first half of November will be called off.

The mayor said Transport for London (TfL) was engaged in talks with both the RMT and Aslef unions and he was “hopeful” that their demands could be negotiated “amicably”.

Aslef, the drivers’ union, has called two 24-hour strikes on November 7 and 12, while the RMT has told its members – who include drivers, signallers and station staff - to walk out on different days between November 1 and 8.


Mr Khan told the Standard on Friday: “I don’t want strikes. The trade unions don’t want to strike. TfL doesn’t want strikes. Londoners don’t want strikes.

“The way to resolve these things is to get round the table and resolve them amicably… Earlier on this year, one of the trade unions was threatening a week’s worth of strikes - we resolved those amicably. In the spring, there were threats of strike action and we resolved those amicably. I’m hopeful and confident we’ll resolve these as well.”

The mayor was referring to strike action threatened by the RMT in January this year - which was averted after Mr Khan decided to use £30m of City Hall funding, enabling pay negotiations to restart.

Asked whether he may have to find a similar sum of money to avert November’s strikes, the mayor played down the significance of funding alone, saying: “I think the trade unions have said they’re not [just] after additional remuneration in their wages - there’s a package of measures they want to be responded to, and those packages of measures are what TfL and the trade unions will be discussing.”

The RMT has said it wants a new pay offer to be applied consistently to all of its members, rather than only some staff receiving it through TfL’s use of pay banding.

Aslef is meanwhile seeking to reach a new pay agreement with London Underground, which has offered a 3.8 per cent pay rise and a variable lump sum, according to reports. The union is concerned that the offer would leave members on a lower salary than drivers on other TfL services, such as the Elizabeth line and Overground.

Separately, RMT members have voted in favour of action short of a strike due to noise levels on the Victoria line.

The union’s members plan to reduce train speeds to below 50mph in order to lessen the screeching sounds created by the wheels on the track.

Mr Khan said: “I understand the concerns raised by the trade unions and I’ve discussed this with them.

“We had to slow down the pace of remediation [work to make the tracks smoother and less noisy] because of the pandemic, and then had financial problems. Frankly speaking, we had to reduce it [the remediation work].

“We didn’t have a capital deal. The capital deal we have from the Government last year is only £250m. It’s a lot of money, but it’s not enough. We spend about £2bn on capital.

“So what we’re trying to do is invest in the remediation work required - we’re doing that. The pace of progress isn’t what I’d like it to be, but I’d ask the trade unions to bear with me.

“I understand the complaints they’ve got. It’s raised not just by those who work in the Tubes, it’s raised by passengers and I suffered it myself today using the Victoria line. So I get it, and we’ll try and work with the trade unions to resolve this.”

What London Underground lines will be affected by strikes?

Emilia Kettle
Wed 23 October 2024 at 10:00 am GMT-6·3-min read


Staff on the London Underground will be striking in November, find out what Tube lines will be affected. (Image: Getty)

Travelling around London is expected to be a lot harder than normal in the coming month as thousands of Tube workers will take strike action.

It comes as union Aslef announced drivers on the Tube would conduct two 24-hour walkouts across two weeks.

The Tube strikes will likely cause the London Underground to shut down and affect many travel plans.

People have been urged by Transport for London (TfL) to check and plan ahead before travelling out on the days Tube workers will be striking.

So you don't get caught out, here are the lines set to be affected by Tube strikes this November.

What Tube lines are affected by strikes in November?

TfL has said that it is too early to say exactly what lines will be impacted by the Tube strikes in November.

But a spokesperson for TfL did warn that the strikes will likely result in many services not running on days drivers will walk out.

Adding that on days that station staff are on strike, Underground services should be able to run as normal but some stations may be closed.

TfL added that more exact details on affected lines and stations would be confirmed closer to the time of the strikes.

This article will be updated with the latest information once TfL confirm you can also check the TfL website for updates.

Why are Tube workers going on strike?

Finn Brennan, Aslef’s full-time organiser on London Underground, said: “We don’t want to go on strike – we don’t want to make travelling in and around the capital more difficult for passengers and we don’t want to lose a day’s pay – but we have been forced into this position because LU management won’t sit down properly and negotiate with us.

“Our members voted by over 98% in favour of strike action, but Underground management are still refusing to even discuss key elements of our claim.

“They refuse to discuss any reduction in the working week or introducing paid meal relief to bring Underground drivers in line with those on the Elizabeth line and London Overground.”

Aslef said a pay offer of 3.8%, plus a variable lump sum, means Underground drivers will stay on a lower salary than drivers on other Transport for London services while working longer hours.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “London Underground’s pay offer falls short of what our members deserve. It threatens to remove collective bargaining for a growing portion of staff, pushing them into pay bands that are decided solely by management. This undermines our members’ rights and the core principles of fair negotiation.

“No trade union can accept any pay proposal where management decides which of our members gets a pay rise and those who do not.

“We have repeatedly urged London Underground to offer a deal that ensures all staff are covered by collective bargaining, yet management remains fixated on imposing pay structures without our agreement.

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London Underground workers to go on strike next month

When are the London Tube strikes in November 2024?

“Our members have been left with no choice but to take strike action to defend their terms and conditions.

“We remain open to negotiations, but London Underground must come back to the table with a comprehensive, consolidated offer that respects the rights of all our members. Until then, our industrial action will continue as planned.”

The RMT said around 10,000 of its members are involved in the dispute, adding that it remains ready to engage in talks but insisted that a “fair and fully consolidated” pay offer must be put forward.


The exact dates of the Tube strikes as thousands to be affected

Emilia Kettle
Tue 22 October 2024

Travellers on the London Underground can expect serious travel disruption during November.

It comes as union Aslef announced drivers on the Tube would conduct two 24-hour walkouts across two weeks.

The Tube strikes will likely cause the London Underground to shut down and affect many travel plans.

People have been urged by Transport for London (TfL) to check and plan ahead before travelling out on the days Tube workers will be striking.

When are the Tube strikes in November 2024?



The strike dates are as follows:

Friday, November 1 - ASLEF/ RMT engineering drivers to strike from 6pm for 24 hours


Saturday, November 2 - Strikes end at 5.59pm


Sunday, November 3 - RMT access controllers, control centre staff and power/control staff to strike from 6.59am


Monday, November 4 - RMT emergency response unit staff to strike. The previous day strikes to end at 6.59am.


Tuesday, November 5 - RMT fleet, engineering, stations and train staff to strike all day.


Wednesday, November 6 - RMT signallers/service controllers all-day strike.


Thursday, November 7 - ASLEF train operators, instructors and managers, all day strike.


Friday, November 8 - RMT signallers, and service controllers to strike all day.


Saturday, November 9 - ASLEF manager overtime ban.


Sunday, November 10- ASLEF manager overtime ban.


Monday, November 11 - ASLEF manager overtime ban.


Tuesday, November 12 - ASLEF train operators, instructors and management, all-day strike.


Wednesday, November 13 - ASLEF manager overtime ban continues.


Thursday, November 14 - ASLEF manager overtime ban continues.


Friday, November 15 - ASLEF manager overtime ban continues.


Saturday, November 16 - ASLEF manager overtime ban ends at 11.59pm.
Why are Tube drivers going on strike?



Finn Brennan, Aslef’s full-time organiser on London Underground, said: “We don’t want to go on strike – we don’t want to make travelling in and around the capital more difficult for passengers and we don’t want to lose a day’s pay – but we have been forced into this position because LU management won’t sit down properly and negotiate with us.

“Our members voted by over 98% in favour of strike action, but Underground management are still refusing to even discuss key elements of our claim.

“They refuse to discuss any reduction in the working week or introducing paid meal relief to bring Underground drivers in line with those on the Elizabeth line and London Overground.”

Aslef said a pay offer of 3.8%, plus a variable lump sum, means Underground drivers will stay on a lower salary than drivers on other Transport for London services while working longer hours.


RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “London Underground’s pay offer falls short of what our members deserve. It threatens to remove collective bargaining for a growing portion of staff, pushing them into pay bands that are decided solely by management. This undermines our members’ rights and the core principles of fair negotiation.

“No trade union can accept any pay proposal where management decides which of our members gets a pay rise and those who do not.

“We have repeatedly urged London Underground to offer a deal that ensures all staff are covered by collective bargaining, yet management remains fixated on imposing pay structures without our agreement.

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London Underground workers to go on strike next month

“Our members have been left with no choice but to take strike action to defend their terms and conditions.

“We remain open to negotiations, but London Underground must come back to the table with a comprehensive, consolidated offer that respects the rights of all our members. Until then, our industrial action will continue as planned.”

The RMT said around 10,000 of its members are involved in the dispute, adding that it remains ready to engage in talks but insisted that a “fair and fully consolidated” pay offer must be put forward.

UK

Workers to be given twice as long to strike under Government proposals

Nina Lloyd, PA Political Correspondent
Wed 23 October 2024 

Workers would be given twice as long to strike under proposals being considered by the Government.

Unions could be able to stage walkouts for up to a year after balloting members, according to a consultation document produced by the Department for Business and Trade.

Under existing legislation, if workers vote to strike, the mandate expires after six months and another poll must be carried out for any following action to be valid.

Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and Angela Rayner said Tory ministers were to blame for a wave of strikes under the previous government.


The Government said doubling this time period would “strike the correct balance” between ensuring action is based on a recent vote and reducing the need for “costly and time-consuming” re-ballots.

The proposed measures are part of a major overhaul of workers’ rights overseen by Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds.

The Employment Rights Bill, which had its second reading in the Commons this week, seeks to improve employment conditions through changes including reforms to parental leave and protection from unfair dismissal.

Strikes would also need only a simple majority in a vote instead of the 50% turnout required at present for the result to be legally valid at present under Government plans.

Existing rules mean that 10% of a workforce must be union members for an application to be made to get recognition to negotiate with employers, but ministers are planning to lower this to 2%.

The Government is also considering relaxing requirements on unions to show that they have repudiated so-called “wildcat” strikes by workers which they have not authorised or organised.

A general notice posted online and notifying the officials and employers involved could be enough to show it does not support the action, rather than the present requirement to give individual written notice to all staff believed to be taking part, the consultation document suggests.

The Bill came under heightened scrutiny on Monday after Whitehall’s own economic analysis showed it could cost businesses up to £5 billion a year, with opposition critics claiming it would create an “existential crisis” for some firms.
Ministers have argued the reforms are aimed at ensuring industrial relations are based on proportionality and accountability.

In a foreword to the consultation document, Ms Rayner and Mr Reynolds said the Government wanted to repeal “ideological, ineffective anti-union
legislation” introduced under the Tories.

They said that under the Conservatives, “strikes did not happen because workers or trade unions had too much power” but because “ministers chose to avoid grown-up negotiation.”

“Our existing framework for industrial relations and collective bargaining is full of inefficiencies and anachronisms that work against cooperation, compromise and collaboration,” they said.

“We want to create a positive and modern framework for trade union legislation that delivers productive and constructive engagement, respects the democratic mandate of unions, and works to reset our industrial relations.”

Labour's workers' rights reforms pass first Commons hurdle

Lucy Jackson and Hamish Morrison
Mon 21 October 2024 

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said the reforms were the 'biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation' (Image: Chris Furlong/PA Wire)


LABOUR’S workers’ rights reforms have passed their first hurdle in the Commons – as the Government promised to “turn the tide” on poorly paid and insecure work.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner told MPs before the vote on Monday night that her Employment Rights Bill marked the “biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation”.

The vote passed by 386 votes to 105, after a Tory amendment which criticised the bill being "rushed" into parliament within 100 days of Labour entering power was voted down.


READ MORE: Edinburgh Tram workers win toilet break dispute after strike threat

The bill will, among other measures, ban the practice of fire and rehire and task the Low Pay Commission to take into account the cost of living when setting the minimum wage, Rayner said.

While the bill has been welcomed by trade unions, concerns the package of reforms had been watered down were the source of conflict between Labour’s union backers and the party during manifesto negotiations earlier this year,

Unite, Labour’s largest union backer, refused to endorse the party’s manifesto ahead of the election this year in part because they believed the programme did not go far enough on workers’ rights.

The Tories criticised the bill saying it would put huge new burdens on businesses, pointing to a Government analysis which said it could cost firms up to £4.5 billion.

Rayner hit back at that attack from Tory MP James Wild, saying: “The impact assessment also makes clear that it would have a positive impact on growth and more than 10 million workers will benefit from Labour’s plan in every corner of this country.

“And the money in their pockets will go back into the economy and will support businesses, in particular, those on the high street.”

(Image: Contributed)

Speaking for the bill at the opening of the debate, Rayner (above) said: “Over decades, the good secure jobs that our parents and our grandparents could build a life on were replaced by low pay and insecure work – wages flatlined, in-work poverty grew, growth was strangled and the Tories left behind a battered economy which served no one.

“Today, this Labour Government led by working people for working people will start to turn the tide.”

READ MORE: Shona Robison says 'no more money' available for local government pay

The Deputy Prime Minister also pledged the bill would avoid a repeat of the P&O Ferries scandal, which saw 800 workers sacked without consultation in 2022.

It will also repeal the Minimum Service Levels Act which restricted the ability of workers in some industries to go on strike and the Trade Union Act 2016 which Rayner said “tried to smother trade unions in form-filling and red tape and tried to prevent them doing their job”.

Speaking during the debate, SNP MP Chris Law (below) said that whilst the SNP "broadly welcomes" the core elements of the bill, it does not go "far enough".

(Image: Parliament TV) "Labour have not gone far enough or acted swiftly enough with this bill," he told the Commons.

"Gaps remain in the plans, with around half of the promised reforms being kicked into the long grass through consultation, meaning they won't see changes implemented next year, the year after, or perhaps even 2027.

READ MORE: Police Scotland staff to be balloted on pay offer which union says ‘falls short’

"The Employment Rights Bill is meant to be a defining piece of Labour's first 100 days in office. But what good is meeting that deadline if the meaningful reforms are missing and will not come into effect for years?

"This is government looking overly cautious and hesitant."

Law said crucial commitments such as single-worker status, the right to switch off and addressing pay discrimination through mandatory reporting of ethnicity and disability pay gaps were "missing entirely" from the bill.

He referenced comments made by the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) general secretary Roz Foyer, who said the bill was only the "first step" to improving workers' rights.

He also reiterated calls for employment law to be devolved to Scotland – a move backed by the STUC and a pledge made by Scottish Labour in their 2021 manifesto.

Law added: "I look forward to their [Scottish Labour MPs'] support going forward in ensuring employment law is devolved to Scotland in this Parliament, so that workers in Scotland never again have to see their employment rights eroded by any future Tory-led government."

Employment Rights Bill passes second reading in House of Commons

Will Abbott
Tue 22 October 2024


250,000 workers in Yorkshire and the Humber are 'in scope' of the Employment Rights Bill, according to government figures. The Bill passed its second reading on Monday, October 21 (Image: Supplied)


The Employment Rights Bill returned to Parliament yesterday (Monday, October 21) for its second reading, and passed with 386 ayes and 105 noes.

The Bill intends to introduce new protections for insecure workers, including guaranteed hours and reasonable notice or compensation for lost work.

250,000 workers in Yorkshire and the Humber are 'in scope' of the Bill, according to government figures.

The same figures suggest that 10.7 per cent of the total workforce in the region are in scope of the policy - the highest proportion of any region in the UK.

The press office of the Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government shared a claim in the run up to the reading that the Bill could save up to £600 in lost income from hidden costs of insecure work, such as childcare arrangements and last-minute transport arrangements.

The £600 figure comes from a Living Wage Foundation report which had suggested: "33 per cent of shift workers face higher costs as a result of cancelled or last minute shift patterns – an ‘insecurity premium.'

"These costs can add to more than £50 a month (£600+ a year), which was the case for almost a fifth (17 per cent) of workers experiencing the premium."

An impact assessment for the Bill has also been published by the government.

As part of the government's Plan to Make Work Pay, the waiting period for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) will be removed, as well as the Lower Earnings Limit for the pay.

The Lower Earnings Limit currently means that a worker must be earning £123 per week, at least, to qualify for SSP.

Judith Cummins comments after chairing Employment Rights Bill reading

Will Abbott
Wed 23 October 2024


Judith Cummins, MP for Bradford South, chaired the second reading of the Employment Rights Bill on Monday (Image: Supplied)


Judith Cummins, MP for Bradford South and deputy speaker of the House of Commons, has shared a message following the second reading of the Employment Rights Bill on Monday, which she chaired.

The Bill passed its second reading with 386 ayes and 105 noes.

Ms Cummins said: "It is essential that our legal system gives proper protections to workers and ensures that unscrupulous employers are held to account.

"With living costs rising in recent years, we must act on a plan to make work pay."

The Bill intends to introduce new protections for insecure workers, including guaranteed hours and reasonable notice or compensation for lost work.

It will also establish a new Fair Work Agency with new powers to enforce holiday pay.

Opposition MPs have raised concerns at the cost to businesses following the Government’s own impact assessment (the impact assessment can be read here).

James Wild MP challenged deputy prime minister Angela Rayner during Monday's reading, saying: "The estimated cost of the measures could be £4.5 billion a year.

"How does loading costs on to employers help to boost growth and job creation?"

The full Hansard transcript is available at https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2024-10-21/debates/DC4CA46C-E3A4-4A75-A0AA-5143E3E12585/EmploymentRightsBill


Labour plans to let unions make pay demands with just 2pc of workers on board

Nick Gutteridge
Tue 22 October 2024 at 1:54 pm GMT-6·4-min read


Angela Rayner (centre) with Mick Lynch, seen the secretary-general of the RMT union, wants to make striking easier - Vuk Valcic/Alamy


Unions will be allowed to make pay demands at companies where as few as 2 per cent of staff are members, under plans unveiled by ministers.

Angela Rayner, the Deputy Prime Minister, wants to slash the threshold at which businesses have to formally recognise a union, as part of proposals that will make it easier to strike.

She is also set to axe the requirement for union bosses to secure at least 50 per cent turnout among members before they can call industrial action.

The Tories warned that the plans risk unleashing a wave of strikes and public sector pay demands that would have to be funded by higher taxes.

Currently, unions can seek recognition from an employer, giving them power to negotiate on pay and conditions, when 10 per cent of workers are members.

Angela Rayner also plans to relax union funding rules - Simon Dawson/Downing St

But under proposals published by Ms Rayner and Jonathan Reynolds, the Business Secretary, that threshold is set to be lowered to just 2 per cent.

The change is likely to mean that unions are granted much more influence in workplaces, even where they have a negligible number of members.
Plan to reverse curbs

Ministers are also looking to reverse legislation passed by the Tories in 2016 which raised the thresholds for calling strike action.

At the moment, unions in most sectors must get at least half of their relevant members to vote if a ballot for industrial action is to be deemed valid.

If a simple majority of those workers vote to strike then the walkout can go ahead.

For six key public services – including health, fire and education – an extra requirement was introduced that 40 per cent of overall members must back action.

Ms Rayner plans to repeal all those rules so that in future all that will be required to strike is a simple majority of those who responded to the ballot.

She has also unveiled plans to cut the notice unions must give employers of a walkout, from a fortnight to just a week.

Angela Rayner has said she wants the Government to boost workers’ rights - DPMO/Unpixs

In a joint statement, Ms Rayner and Mr Reynolds said: “This Government has already committed to repealing ideological, ineffective anti-union legislation.

“Whilst most employers do good by their workers, when this doesn’t happen, workers must have the ability to act collectively. This Government wants people to have a voice at work and let them exercise control over their working lives.”

A spokesman for the Department for Business said: “The Employment Rights Bill will bring trade union legislation into the 21st century by stripping back layers of burdensome and inefficient red tape that has prevented unions from being able to represent and negotiate on behalf of their workers.”

The changes come after a tussle between Amazon and the GMB over whether the union would be recognised by the internet shopping giant.

The GMB lost a ballot on seeking formal recognition by just 29 votes in July and later accused the firm of trying to “scare workers” into voting against.
‘Wave of strikes’

But the Tories warned that repealing their laws, which were designed to curb the unions, risked unleashing a fresh wave of industrial unrest.

Kevin Hollinrake, the shadow business secretary, said: “Every word and every provision has been designed and drafted by the unions and delivered by their useful idiots in the Labour Government.”

He added: “They present huge new powers to the trade unions, which by the Government’s own impact assessment will risk unleashing waves of strikes, raising public sector pay settlements and mean higher taxes on business and working people.

“Clearly, Labour have spent zero time engaging with businesses because they seem to be paying no attention to their valid concerns.

“Ministers must stand up to their trade union paymasters and revise their growth-killing bill, at the very least exempting small and medium-sized companies from these catastrophic measures.”

Kevin Hollinrake, the shadow business secretary, said Labour was not talking to business - Tayfun Salci

Ms Rayner is also planning to relax union funding rules so that more cash is diverted to political aims like supporting Labour.

She is set to reverse Tory-era rules which mean that at present union members have to opt in to their subscriptions being used for political purposes.

Instead they will be made to opt out, and will only be sent reminders that their cash is going into union political funds once every 10 years.

Tory sources accused the Deputy Prime Minister of hypocrisy, as Labour previously supported much tighter curbs on rolling shopping subscriptions.

When in opposition, the party wanted to force firms to remind their customers at least once every six months that they could cancel their subscriptions.

Strikes by Greek teachers and island ferry crews trigger broader labor disputes

Associated Press Finance
Updated Wed 23 October 2024 



Greece Teachers Protest
The shadows of striking teachers are seen on the road during a protest against Greece's conservative government over labor rights, in Athens, Greece on Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024

 (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)


ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Striking Greek public school teachers marched in protest through central Athens on Wednesday as tensions grow between labor organizations and the center-right government over workers’ rights.

Island ferry crews also decided to extend for another two days a strike that has left ships moored in port since Tuesday. Their demands include a 12% pay increase.

The 24-hour teachers' strike was called by Greece's civil servants’ union ADEDY, taking over from teaching unions after the government tried to block the action in court.

Labor unions are pressing for the restoration of rights that were significantly rolled back during successive international bailouts between 2010 and 2018. The austerity measures implemented as a condition for the rescue loans included severe cuts to public spending, tax increases and labor reforms that resulted in a weakening of collective bargaining rules.

Teachers' unions are seeking salary increases and more permanent positions for temporary staff among other demands.

The government maintains that the original strike failed to meet legal requirements under recent labor reforms, while ADEDY accused the government of trying to restrict workers' constitutional right to strike.

Wednesday's march ended peacefully.

Also Wednesday, Greece's Panhellenic Seamen's Federation decided to extend for another two days a two-day strike it launched Tuesday.

The union warned that it would likely consider further extending the strike. That would disrupt travel plans by thousands of Greeks planning a long island weekend ahead of a national holiday on Monday

Up next

European overtourism anger spreads to Greece as protests loom over higher pay demands

Prarthana Prakash

Updated Tue 22 October 2024 at 9:08 am GMT-6·3-min read

Greece is facing looming protests from workers in its tourism industry. (Nicolas Economou—NurPhoto/Getty Images)

Overtourism anger is coming to a head in Greece, with workers in the Greek tourism sector preparing to protest, demanding pay rises and shorter working weeks.

Labor unions are organizing protests in ports, airports, and archaeological sites to raise awareness about the poor wages paid to industry workers.

"We are asking for an increase of 12% for the next two years, that is 6% for each year. We are also asking—in 2024—that the five-day, 40-hour working week also be applied to us," Giorgos Hotzoglou, president of the Hellenic Federation of Tourism Employees, told Euronews in a report published Monday.

If the protests occur, they will be the first in Greece following a summer of antitourism backlash across Europe. This summer, Barcelona and Tenerife saw a wave of anger erupt on city streets after an influx of tourists pushed visitor numbers to a record high.

Greece has probably witnessed the worst side of tourism, an industry its economy has come to rely on heavily. Between 25% and 30% of the country’s GDP now comes from tourism-linked activities; on some islands, that proportion spikes to 90%.

Still, it’s hard to overlook mass tourism's impact on Greece in recent years. It has been blamed for exacerbating a housing and resource shortage.

Last year, the country welcomed nearly 33 million foreign visitors—over three times the size of Greece’s population.

Despite that staggering figure, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis insists the country isn’t facing overtourism. Instead, it needs to improve its management of areas that have become tourist clusters.

“It is very dangerous to present Greece as a place that is not welcoming to tourists,” Mitsotakis told the Financial Times last month.

Tourism clearly has shown no signs of abating. Recent government data in Greece shows that revenues from the industry have ticked down this year despite an increase in arrivals.

If it were up to the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE), it would turn the country’s “sun and sea” appeal and focus instead on offering experiences that truly help it improve.

SETE didn’t immediately return Fortune’s request for comment.

Europe’s battle over tourism

Residents of the towns that have been dealing with a swell in tourists have argued that the once-positive force is now hurting citizens' quality of life by pushing housing costs up and turning local neighborhoods into tourist attractions.

Greece is far from alone in the crisis it faces, and many countries have taken matters into their own hands.

Hungary is considering measures to pause the issuance of short-term Airbnb licenses in its capital city of Budapest.

Meanwhile, Venice has introduced a so-called tourist tax, banned loudspeakers, and capped visitor groups at 25 this year in hopes of keeping the impact of mass tourism under control. Not too far away, Amsterdam plans to halve the number of cruises docking in the town to limit tourist nuisance.

This story was originally featured on 

Los Angeles Times editor resigns after newspaper withholds presidential endorsement

Associated Press
Wed 23 October 2024 

FILE - The Los Angeles Times newspaper headquarters is shown in El Segundo, Calif., Jan. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)


LOS ANGELES (AP) — The editorials editor of the Los Angeles Times has resigned after the newspaper’s owner blocked the editorial board’s plans to endorse Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris for president, a journalism trade publication reported Wednesday.

Mariel Garza told the Columbia Journalism Review in an interview that she resigned because the Times was remaining silent on the contest in “dangerous times.”

“I am resigning because I want to make it clear that I am not OK with us being silent,” Garza said. “In dangerous times, honest people need to stand up. This is how I’m standing up.”


In a post on the social media platform X that did not directly mention the resignation, LA Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong said the board was asked to do a factual analysis of the policies of Harris and Republican former President Donald Trump during their time at the White House.

Additionally, "The board was asked to provide (its) understanding of the policies and plans enunciated by the candidates during this campaign and its potential effect on the nation in the next four years,” he wrote. “In this way, with this clear and non-partisan information side-by-side, our readers could decide who would be worthy of being president for the next four years.”

Soon-Shiong, who bought the paper in 2018, said the board “chose to remain silent and I accepted their decision.”

Garza told the Columbia Journalism Review that the board had intended to endorse Harris and she had drafted the outline of a proposed editorial.

A LA Times spokesperson did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment.

The LA Times Guild Unit Council & Bargaining Committee said it was “deeply concerned about our owner’s decision to block a planned endorsement in the presidential race."

“We are even more concerned that he is now unfairly assigning blame to Editorial Board members for his decision not to endorse," the guild said in a statement. “We are still pressing for answers from newsroom management on behalf of our members.”

Trump’s campaign jumped on Garza’s departure, saying the state’s largest newspaper had declined to endorse the Democratic ticket after backing Harris in her previous races for U.S. Senate and state attorney general.

Her exit comes about 10 months after then-Executive Editor Kevin Merida left the paper in what was called a “mutually agreed” upon departure. At the time, the news organization said it had fallen well short of its digital subscriber goals and needed a revenue boost to sustain the newsroom and its digital operations

Los Angeles Times Editorials Editor Resigns Over Owner’s Decision Not To Endorse In Presidential Race; Patrick Soon-Shiong Responds To Backlash

Ted Johnson
Wed 23 October 2024 


UPDATED, with comment from Times’ owner: After Mariel Garza resigned due to the Times’ owner refusing to allow an endorsement in the presidential race, proprietor Patrick Soon-Shiong took to X in an attempt to quell the resulting online backlash. He said soon after the news broke: “So many comments about the @latimes Editorial Board not providing a Presidential endorsement this year. Let me clarify how this decision came about. The Editorial Board was provided the opportunity to draft a factual analysis of all the POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE policies by EACH candidate during their tenures at the White House, and how these policies affected the nation. In addition, the Board was asked to provide their understanding of the policies and plans enunciated by the candidates during this campaign and its potential effect on the nation in the next four years. In this way, with this clear and non-partisan information side-by-side, our readers could decide who would be worthy of being President for the next four years. Instead of adopting this path as suggested, the Editorial Board chose to remain silent and I accepted their decision. Please #vote.”

PREVIOUS STORY: The editorials editor of the Los Angeles Times has resigned after the owner of the publication’s owner refused to allow an endorsement in the presidential race.

Mariel Garza told the Columbia Journalism Review that she is “resigning because I want to make it clear that I am not okay with us being silent. In dangerous times, honest people need to stand up. This is how I’m standing up.”

Patrick Soon-Shiong, the owner of the Times, informed the editorial board earlier this month that the publication would be making no endorsement in the presidential race. The Times has endorsed each cycle since 2008. According to CJR, the editorial board planned to endorse Kamala Harris.

In her resignation letter, per CJR, Garza wrote that while she had told herself “presidential endorsements don’t really matter,” the “reality bit me like cold water on Tuesday when the news rippled out about the decision not to endorse without so much as a comment from LAT management, and Donald Trump turned it into an anti-Harris rip.”

After the news on Tuesday that the Times would not be endorsing, the Trump campaign sent out an email calling the decision the “latest blow to Harris-Walz.” “Even her fellow Californians know she’s not up for the job,” the Trump campaign wrote.

Garza wrote that the decision not to endorse “makes us look craven and hypocritical, maybe even a bit sexist and racist. How could we spend eight years railing against Trump and the danger his leadership poses to the country and then fail to endorse the perfectly decent Democrat challenger — who we previously endorsed for the US Senate?”

L.A. Times Readers Vow to Unsubscribe After Non-Endorsement

Grace Harrington
Wed 23 October 2024 

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin


Los Angeles Times readers are threatening to unsubscribe from the paper after its owner, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, reportedly ordered the editorial board not to endorse a presidential candidate.

Semafor reported Tuesday that the paper was ready to endorse Kamala Harris for president—it has endorsed the Democratic candidate in every election cycle since it resumed making endorsements in 2008—before Soon-Shiong shot them down.

The only reference to the presidential election in the paper’s lengthy endorsement list calling the 2024 race “the most consequential election in a generation. And we’re not just talking about the presidential race.”

This ignited the ire of some L.A. Times readers, who flocked to X to say they’re canceling their subscription.

“Just canceled my subscription, @latimes. WTF is wrong with you?” wrote screenwriter Randi Mayem Singer. She also posted confirmation of her cancellation.

Evan Handler, who plays Harry Goldenblatt on Sex and the City, said he canceled his subscription and urged others to do the same.

“I don’t need to spend $15.96/month to read only what Patrick Soon-Schiong allows the paper’s staff to publish,” he wrote on X.

“Just cancelled my 30+ year subscription to the LA Times. Will miss it but if democracy is not important to the times then the times is not important to me,” said user Andrew Levey.

Sports journalist Jemele Hill criticized the editorial board for going along with the non-endorsement.

“The cowardice of journalists during this time is so utterly disappointing. The very nature of this job is to disrupt and sometimes tell people the uncomfortable truth. That a paper like the LA Times has abandoned that responsibility sadly speaks to where we are,” she wrote.

Other users criticized Soon-Shiong directly.

Actress Maya Contreras tweeted a screenshot of Tesla CEO Elon Musk congratulating Soon-Shiong on the purchase of the L.A. Times, and Soon-Shiong thanking him.

“Everyone should know that Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong is South African (like Elon Musk), a billionaire (like Elon Musk), and friends… with Elon Musk,” she wrote.

 CRYPTOZOOLOGY

Bristol Zoo Keepers 'Baffled' By 'Mysterious Winged And Horned Creature' Caught On Camera

Amy Glover
Wed 23 October 2024 


Bristol Zoological Society

’Tis the season for all things spooky ― and apparently, some keepers at the Bristol Zoo Project (run by the Bristol Zoological Society) have come across some suitably eerie footage.

A still image from night vision cameras that monitor the Zoo’s Bear Wood habitat “has us just a little stumped,” the Project’s Facebook Post reads.

The image comes from camera traps used by Bristol Zoological Society’s conservation team “to survey and monitor species of all sizes that inhabit Bear Wood’s 7.5 acres of ancient woodland.”

In a press release, Rosie Sims, Public Engagement Manager at Bristol Zoo Project, said: “The sighting of this mythical-like creature is a mystery to us here at Bristol Zoo Project.”

“Scotland has the Loch Ness monster and Cornwall has the Beast of Bodmin Moor – have we discovered a similar mythical here in Bristol perhaps?”

HuffPost UK asked the British Zoological Society whether they had a nickname for the animal, to which a spokesperson replied: “We haven’t actually got an in-house nickname for it yet, at the moment we are just referring to it as a ‘mysterious creature.’”
People had *thoughts* online

The Facebook post shared by the Bristol Zoo Project compared the night-time image to a daytime snap of a very, very similar-looking Muntjac deer.

Reddit member u/shellac, who’s part of the r/bristol subreddit, wrote into the forum to say: “It’s a Muntjac deer. I’m not an expert and even I can see that.”

The zoo’s press release says, “After reviewing the images they say the creature appears to have four legs and is like nothing [the conservation team] have spotted before.”

But a Facebook user wrote, “I realise this is a single frame, but what you call ‘wings’ looks a lot like the back of the deer’s head as it has turned to look over its back. I would expect more blurring if it were a single frame.”

Still, others have different thoughts: one Facebook user commented, “It’s obviously an infant Unicorn Pegasus,” while another said: “It is a twin birth gone awry.

“One twin did not develop separately. This sometimes happens in cattle and extra legs or two heads appear on one calf.”
It coincides with the zoo’s (genuinely exciting-sounding) Halloween trail

“The sightings come just before the launch of the zoo’s ‘Howl-oween: Myths and Legends trail’, which will give visitors the opportunity to see giraffes, lemurs, cheetah, wolves and wolverines, as well as potentially spot the mythical creature,” the press release reads.

“It will also include myth-busting talks, an interactive animal artefact experience in the Lodge of Legends, as well as the chance for visitors to create their own mythical creature in the Cauldron of Creation.”

The Bristol Zoological Society aim to tackle the genuinely scary issue of animal endangerment, sharing that “78% of the animals we care for are both threatened and part of targeted conservation programmes.”

“Our aim is for this to rise to 90% of species by 2035.”

Emissions from forest fires have tripled in one area – here’s why it’s worrying

Rob Waugh
·Contributor
Wed 23 October 2024

Carbon dioxide emissions from fires in the northern ‘boreal’ forests have almost tripled since 2001. (Alberta Wildfire/ZUMA Press Wire)


The world’s northernmost forests in Canada, Norway, Alaska and Russia are burning at a greater rate – and it’s helping to drive climate change.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fires in the northern ‘boreal’ forests have almost tripled since 2001 - part of a wider surge of 60% in forest fire-related emissions.

Emissions from forests outside the tropics – known as ‘extratropical’ fires – are now emitting half a billion tonnes more CO2 than two decades ago. Previous research has shown that fires in these remote areas are often started by lightning, with storms becoming more likely due to climate change.


Dr Matthew Jones, a NERC independent research fellow at the University of Exeter, said: “The steep trend towards greater extratropical forest fire emissions is a warning of the growing vulnerability of forests and it poses a significant challenge for global targets to tackle climate change.

“We know that forests rebound poorly after the most severe fires, so there is huge interest in how the observed increases in fire severity will influence carbon storage in forests over the coming decades. This demands our close attention.”
Why are fires increasing in northern forests?

A major new study reveals that CO2 emissions from forest fires have increased everywhere - but in particular in the northern ‘boreal’ forests, also known as taiga.

Fires are getting bigger and more frequent in boreal forests. (Getty)

Boreal forests account for 27% of the world’s forest area, and have seen emissions from fires nearly triple between 2001 and 2023.

The change is linked to climate change as the fires and emissions are linked to the hot, dry conditions seen in heatwaves and droughts, the researchers believe.

Climate change is also driving increased rates of growth, which provides more ‘fuel’ for fires.

These trends are aided by rapid warming in the high northern latitudes, which is happening twice as fast as the global average.
Are forest wildfires getting more frequent or bigger?

Forest wildfires are getting both bigger and more frequent, the study found.

The carbon combustion rate, a measure of fire severity based on how much carbon is emitted per unit of area burned, increased by almost 50% across forests globally between 2001 and 2023.

Lead author Dr Jones, of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of East Anglia, said: “Increases in both the extent and severity of forest fires have led to a dramatic rise in the amount of carbon emitted by forest fires globally.

“Startling shifts in the global geography of fires are also underway, and they are primarily explained by the growing impacts of climate change in the world’s boreal forests.

“To protect critical forest ecosystems from the accelerating threat of wildfires, we must keep global warming at bay and this underscores why it is so vital to make rapid progress towards net zero emissions.”
Why are forest fires important?

Forests are crucial to the world’s battle against climate change – and increased forest fires threaten that balance.

Forests are of worldwide importance for carbon storage, with their growth helping to remove CO2 from the atmosphere and reduce rates of global warming.

They also play a crucial role in meeting international climate targets.

Reforestation and afforestation schemes are being planned and used to remove carbon from the atmosphere and offset human CO2 emissions.

The success of these schemes relies on carbon being stored in forests permanently, and wildfires threaten that.

Man and woman carry out terror attack on Turkish aerospace company

Kieran Kelly

Wed 23 October 2024 

Four people have been killed after attackers opened fire at an aerospace company


A man and a woman wielding automatic weapons opened fire on staff at the headquarters of a Turkish aerospace company on Wednesday in a deadly terror attack.

Two attackers drove a beaten-up yellow taxi to the entrance of Turkish Aerospace Industries (Tusas) in Ankara, Turkey’s capital, before launching their assault.

CCTV footage showed at least two attackers shooting at people fleeing in the company’s car park.

Five people were killed and around a dozen more were injured in the attack, which occurred at around 3.30pm local time in the Kahramankazan district.

One assailant reportedly detonated a bomb at the entrance of Tusas’s HQ before a gunman dressed in black was filmed jumping over entry turnstiles and firing through automatic doors from inside the building.

One of the attackers, a woman, carried out the attack with a Kalashnikov rifle, according to reports, while the man wielded a PK machine gun.

Ali Yerlikaya, Turkey’s interior minister, confirmed that she and another assailant were “neutralised”.

Investigations into the identity of the perpetrators are ongoing. In the past, Kurdish militants, ISIS and leftist extremists have carried out terror attacks in Turkey.

Mr Yerlikaya said it was “most likely” carried out by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a Kurdish separatist terror organisation.

Turkey’s interior minister confirmed the female attacker and another assailant were ‘neutralised’

The PKK is designated as a terrorist group by Turkey, Britain, the US and the European Union. It has been fighting a separatist insurgency since 1984, with more than 40,000 people killed in the conflict.

In September, Turkey said it destroyed 20 PKK “targets” in a series of air strikes in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

The PKK has been noted for its use of female fighters as around 40 per cent of the PKK’s troops were reported to be women in 2014.

It is not yet clear how many people were involved in the attack and whether there were other suspects still at large.

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Turkish president, said he condemned the “heinous terrorist attack” as he attended the Brics summit in the Russian city of Kazan, where he thanked Vladimir Putin for his condolences.

CCTV from the site showed an armed attacker entering the building

Mr Erdoğan later said in a statement: “Our nation should know that dirty hands reaching out to Turkey will definitely be broken; no structure, no terrorist organisation, no evil focused on our security will be able to achieve their goals.”

Tusas’s headquarters in Kahramankazan is believed to house around 15,000 employees.

Local media first reported that a huge explosion was followed by gunfire, before claiming that hostages had been taken in a suspected suicide bomb attack.

Security forces stormed the site as ambulances and firefighters were dispatched to the site, NTV television reported. Employees at the company were taken to a safe area.

Tusas is considered to be one of Turkey’s most important defence and aviation companies.

The company manufactures the advanced Kaan fighter jet along with other planes, helicopters and drones for the Turkish defence industry.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Security forces were deployed to the site of the attack - Serdar Ozsoy/Getty

The last terror attack in Turkey was claimed by Isis. Two gunmen opened fire inside a Catholic church in Istanbul, killing one, in January of this year.

Wednesday’s attack came after Devlet Bahçeli, Mr Erdoğan’s coalition partner and leader of the ultra-nationalist Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), suggested PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan could be granted parole if he renounced violence and disbanded the organisation.

Ocalan has been serving a life sentence on Imrali Island in the Sea of Marmara since February 1999 for founding and leading a terrorist organisation.

Mr Erdoğan is reportedly seeking support from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM) to push for constitutional changes.

Rumours have grown in recent weeks of a possible resumption of talks between Turkey and the PKK as part of fresh efforts to end a conflict that began 40 years ago.

Mr Bahceli’s speech was extraordinary given his usual vitriolic rhetoric towards Ocalan, the PKK and DEM politicians.

The DEM party questioned the timing of the attack in parliament on Wednesday and referred to it as a “provocation”.

A member of Mr Erdoğan’s ruling party, Ozlen Zengin, also said: “I find the timing very significant... Why today? Why Tusas?”

Turkish politicians and international politicians were quick to condemn Wednesday’s attack. “We stand with Turkey. We strongly condemn all forms of terrorism,” Mark Rutte, the Secretary General of Nato, posted on X.

Turkey throttled social media following the attack and applied a broadcast ban, citing the sharing of unconfirmed images.

In a post on X on Wednesday evening, Sir Keir Starmer offered condolences to the families of the victims.

He said: “I am appalled by the terrorist attack in Ankara.

“We stand shoulder to shoulder with Turkey as a NATO ally and close friend.

“Our thoughts are with the families of victims and all those affected.”


Turkey points finger at PKK as attack on defence firm kills five, injures 22

FRANCE 24
Wed 23 October 2024 at 7:54 am GMT-6·1-min read



Five people were killed and 22 others wounded in an attack on the headquarters of Turkish defence firm TUSAS, located near the capital Ankara, Turkish officials said Wednesday, pointing the finger at Kurdish separatists who have carried out attacks in the past.

Assailants set off explosives and opened fire in an attack Wednesday on the premises of the Turkish state-run aerospace and defence company TUSAS, killing five people and wounding several more, Turkish officials said. At least two of the attackers died.

“I condemn this heinous terrorist attack and wish mercy on our martyrs,” Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during a meeting with Russia's Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of a BRICS meeting in Kazan, Russia.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya pointed the finger at the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has waged a decades-long insurgency against the government.

"The identification process and the search for fingerprints are continuing and we will say which terrorist organisation was behind the attack... The way in which this action was carried out is very probably linked to the PKK," Yerlikaya said.

He said efforts to identify the perpetrators were ongoing.

Kurdish militants, the Islamic State group and leftist extremists have all carried out attacks in the country in the past.
'Terror attack'

(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP)

UK Prime Minister ‘appalled’ by deadly attack on Turkish defence company

John Besley, PA
Wed 23 October 2024 



The Prime Minister said he was “appalled” by a terrorist attack on a Turkish defence company that left five people dead and more than 20 injured.

Authorities said suspected Kurdish militants set off explosives and opened fire at the state-run aerospace and defence company TUSAS on Wednesday.

Interior minister Ali Yerlikaya said the two attackers – a man and a woman – were killed in the incident, while at least 22 people were wounded.



In a post on X on Wednesday evening, Sir Keir Starmer offered condolences to the families of the victims.

He said: “I am appalled by the terrorist attack in Ankara.

“We stand shoulder to shoulder with Turkey as a NATO ally and close friend.

“Our thoughts are with the families of victims and all those affected.”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the attack “heinous”, while a US Embassy statement said Washington “strongly” condemned the attack.