Downing Street has accused Aslef of targeting “displaced Ukranians” attending the Eurovision Song Contest final in Liverpool with its latest round of strikes.
Number 10 hit out at the train drivers’ union over its decision to decision to strike the day before Eurovision, claiming it could mean many displaced Ukranians may miss out on being in the audience.
The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), which represents train guards and ticket office staff, has announced that it will strike on the day of the contest.
Aslef said its members would now strike on May 12, May 31 and June 3 – the day of the FA Cup final at Wembley and the Epsom Derby – after rejecting the latest pay offer from rail firms.
Rishi Sunak’s official spokesman said: “It’s incredibly disappointing that Aslef has taken this action. By choosing these specific dates, they are looking to disrupt the FA Cup final – thousands of people will be impacted.
“That will also include displaced Ukrainians trying to attend Eurovision, I know there is a distinct possibility.”
The Eurovision final is being staged in Liverpool after Ukraine won it in Turin last year. Earlier this year, the Government announced that 3,000 tickets would be made available to Ukrainian refugees who had secured accommodation through the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.
The walkouts also threaten to cause chaos for tens of thousands of Manchester United and Manchester City fans travelling to the capital for the cup final, while key services between London and Surrey to get people to Epsom are likely to be hit.
The Liverpool Combined Authority said it was working with operators to understand what the impact would be on services ahead of the Eurovision final and was examining ways to reduce the impact.
Kevin Parker, the Manchester City Supporters Club general secretary, said the strikes would cause huge disruption to fans, adding: “In terms of my point of view as a supporter – and United supporters – there are some who have already booked train tickets this week, so the first issue is now looking at how they are going to get there.”
The Manchester United Supporters Trust urged the unions and the Government to get around the table and avert the strikes.
Mick Whelan, the Aslef general secretary, said: “Our executive committee met this morning [Thursday] and rejected a risible proposal we received from the RDG [Rail Delivery Group].
“We do not want to go on strike – we do not want to inconvenience passengers, we have families and friends who use the railway too, and we believe in investing in rail for the future of this country. But the blame for this action lies, fairly and squarely, at the feet of the employers who have forced our hand over this by their intransigence.”
The industrial action is likely to shut down the majority of services across the country.
Mick Lynch, the RMT general secretary, said: “The RDG have reneged on their original proposals and torpedoed these negotiations. No doubt their decision is due to pressure exerted on them by the Tory Government.
“Therefore, we have no alternative but to press ahead with more strike action and continue our campaign for a negotiated settlement on pay, conditions and job security.”
A spokesman for the RDG claimed the strike action was unnecessary and would heap more pressure on an industry already facing an acute financial crisis, adding: “After many weeks of negotiations with the Aslef leadership, we made a revised and fair offer including a pay rise of eight per cent over two years. Sadly, this has been rejected.”
Mr Sunak’s spokesman said the Rail Delivery Group offer was “fair and reasonable” and would give a rise to train drivers “whose average salary is already £60,000 a year”.
https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiUGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnRlbGVncmFwaC5jby51ay9uZXdzLzIwMjMvMDQvMjcvdHJhaW4tc3RyaWtlcy1hbm5vdW5jZWQtanVuZS1mYS1jdXAv0gEA?oc=5
2023-04-27 17:45:00Z
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