Train strike: Mick Lynch blames Grant Shapps for deadlock on pay
Rail passengers face nightmare journeys today as new nationwide train strikes begin, with only one-fifth of services expected to run.
Tens of thousands of workers employed by Network Rail and 14 train operators ‒ members of the RMT Union ‒ are walking out for 2 hours due to a long-running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions.
This will have a knock-on effect on journeys into Friday morning.
Also on Friday, a London Tube strike will put much of the capital’s network out of action, as three separate unions stage coordinated strikes.
Between Thursday and Saturday only around 4,300 train services will run, with 80 per cent of services stalled, according to Network Rail.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said his union’s members are more determined than ever to protect their pensions, secure a decent pay rise, job security and good working conditions.
“Network Rail have not made any improvement on their previous pay offer and the train operating companies have not offered us anything new,” he said.
Rail union blames Grant Shapps for blocking settlement
The Department for Transport (DfT) and the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, are blocking a settlement to the bitter rail dispute, a senior union leader has said.
Luke Chester, organising director at the white-collar TSSA rail union, told the BBC’s Today show: “What we need to resolve this dispute is a pay rise which reflects the cost of living increase that is is affecting most people in this country very severely.
“We need job security so that our members continue in employment, to work hard to make the railways a fantastic service for passengers.
“We require guarantees from employers they’re not going to rip up people’s contracts of employment, they’re not going to change conditions of working in the way that we’ve seen, for example, at P&O.
“Unfortunately we’ve got 15 train operators who are being told by the Department for Transport, by Mr Shapps, that they are unable and have no mandate to even sit around and make an offer.”
The Independent has asked the Department for Transport (DfT) for a response.
TSSA union members on strike at Wembley in June
(PA Archive)
Simon Calder18 August 2022 08:42
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