Rail strikes: Not for government to intervene - Shapps - BBC

This video can not be played

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

It is not for the government to intervene to stop rail strikes, the transport secretary has said - despite unions calling for talks.

Grant Shapps said the RMT's request for a meeting was a "stunt" and said the union had been "determined to go on strike".

The union said politicians were failing to prevent its three days of industrial action next week.

Labour claimed ministers wanted the strikes to go ahead to "sow division".

Strikes will take place on almost all major lines across Britain on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, as well as on the London Underground on Tuesday.

There will also be knock-on effects on services on non-strike days, including Monday.

Network Rail has advised people to travel only if necessary on strike days. A special timetable will be in place across England, Scotland and Wales from Monday until Sunday.

• When is the rail strike and which lines will be affected?
• How much are rail workers paid?
• ScotRail strikes to go ahead with 90% of trains cancelled
• Welsh minister urges UK government action

Mr Shapps said negotiations had to take place between unions and employers - rather than ministers - and accused the RMT of "trying to create some sort of class war".

"In any pay discussion, in any negotiation over terms, over in this case modernisation, it's always the employer and the union who need to get together to speak," he said.

Although most rail operators are not owned by the government, they are not entirely independent.

The government provides subsidies to the network - including £16bn to keep the railways running during the pandemic - and Network Rail, which owns the tracks and other infrastructure, is government-owned.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Broadcasting House programme, the RMT's Mick Lynch claimed rail operators were refusing to sit down for discussions.

And he said Network Rail, as part of the public sector, was being influenced by government ministers.

"It's Shapps, [Boris] Johnson and Rishi Sunak who are stopping a deal being done in this dispute," he said.

But Network Rail - whose workers are due to strike - said the RMT were dismissing talks before they had finished.

Steve Montgomery, who chairs the Rail Delivery Group of operators, said it was clear the industry could not keep asking the taxpayer to fund it.

"Instead of striking, we need the RMT leadership to work with us to secure a deal that is fair to our staff, fair to our passengers and fair to taxpayers," he said.

Labour's shadow levelling-up secretary Lisa Nandy told BBC Sunday Morning the government had got to "get round the table" with rail workers and said it was "simply not good enough" that ministers had not met unions since 8 March.

The blame game is in full swing ahead of next week's strikes - the biggest on the railways in a generation.

The RMT says it is taking action to protect fair pay, conditions and to prevent job cuts. Other unions are warning they might take industrial action too if they don't get pay deals they deem to be acceptable. They believe inflation means a decent pay rise is essential.

But the government is up for the fight. Grant Shapps has been scathing of the RMT, saying its leadership seems to want a class war.

Treasury ministers also warn that if pay goes up too much, it could just make inflation worse.

The government says it wants to avoid the strike - but in cynical political terms, a row with a left-wing union is comfortable political ground for the Conservatives.

It's more tricky for Labour. The party's leadership says it doesn't want next week's strike to happen.

But is it backing the striking rail workers? There's been no definitive answer.

How much is a fair pay rise? That's for the negations, the party says.

Labour says everyone should get back around the table and find a way to avoid the strike - critics will see that as fence-sitting.

The RMT - which has 40,000 members across the rail network - has said its members are unhappy about stagnated pay and proposed job losses.

Mr Lynch denied the union was demanding a pay hike in line with the current RPI inflation rate - which was 11.1% in April - but said any proposed rise must reflect the higher cost of living.

He pointed out to Sky News that RPI in December, when he said a deal with Network Rail should have been struck, was 7.1%.

Mr Lynch earlier said the union had rejected a Network Rail offer of a 2% rise with a further 1% increase linked to job cuts. The RMT recently won an 8.4% pay rise on the London Underground, it said.

This video can not be played

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

Meanwhile, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer used a speech at a Labour event in Warwick to suggest Mr Shapps and Prime Minister Boris Johnson wanted the strikes to go ahead.

"They want the country to grind to a halt so they can feed off the division," he said.

Sir Keir said the strike would mean businesses would struggle with freight, schools exams would be hard to get to and hospital appointments would be missed.

"That's why I have said the strikes should not go ahead," he said.

Rail strike basics

• When? There will be rail strikes on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and a London Underground Strike on Tuesday
• Where? Many lines will face disruption including: Avanti West Coast; C2C; Chiltern Railways; Cross Country Trains; Croydon Tramlink; Greater Anglia; LNER; East Midlands Railway; Elizabeth Line; Great Western Railway; Hull Trains; London Underground; Northern Trains; South Eastern Railway; South Western Railway; TransPennine Express; West Midlands Trains.
• Who? The RMT union's members include everyone from guards and catering staff to signallers and track maintenance workers. Train driver members of the Aslef union will be striking on Thursday and 2 July on Greater Anglia and 28, 29 June and 13, 14 July on Croydon Tramlink.

Read more here.

Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson Sarah Olney said Mr Shapps "hasn't even met with the union bosses for well over a month".

"Not bothering to avert a crisis is a sackable offence in any other workplace," she said.

A Department for Transport spokesperson warned the railway industry, which had received £16bn support from the government during the pandemic, was "still on life support" with passenger numbers down 25%.

They said train travel was now a choice - not a necessity - and strikes could risk losing customers in the future.

How are the rail strikes affecting you? Do you rely on trains? Are you having to make alternative travel arrangements? Will you miss an important event? Get in touch by emailing: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:

• WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803
• Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay
• Or fill out the form below
• Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

• 'THEY ESCAPED THE TALIBAN': The extraordinary story of the Afghanistan women's football team
• GRENFELL: Five years on, has anything changed?

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiJmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3VrLTYxODU0NTY30gEqaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmJjLmNvLnVrL25ld3MvdWstNjE4NTQ1NjcuYW1w?oc=5

2022-06-19 14:58:10Z
1466832808

Rail strikes: Not for government to intervene - Shapps - BBC

This video can not be played

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

It is not for the government to intervene to stop rail strikes, the transport secretary has said - despite unions calling for talks.

Grant Shapps said the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) request for a meeting was a "stunt" and claimed it had been "determined to go on strike".

The union said politicians were failing to prevent three days of industrial action.

Labour claimed ministers wanted the strikes to go ahead to "sow division".

Strikes will take place on almost all major lines across Britain on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, as well as on the London Underground on Tuesday.

There will also be knock-on effects on services on non-strike days, including Monday.

Network Rail has advised people to travel only if necessary on strike days. A special timetable will be in place across England, Scotland and Wales from Monday until Sunday.

• When is the rail strike and which lines will be affected?
• How much are rail workers paid?
• Are UK travellers heading for a summer of misery?
• ScotRail strikes to go ahead with 90% of trains cancelled

Mr Shapps said negotiations had to take place between unions and employers - rather than ministers - and accused the RMT of "trying to create some sort of class war".

"In any pay discussion, in any negotiation over terms, over in this case modernisation, it's always the employer and the union who need to get together to speak," he said.

Although most rail operators are not owned by the government, they are not entirely independent.

The government provides subsidies to the network - including £16bn to keep the railways running during the pandemic - and Network Rail, which owns the tracks and other infrastructure, is government-owned.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Broadcasting House programme, the RMT's Mick Lynch claimed rail operators were refusing to sit down for discussions.

And he said Network Rail, as part of the public sector, was being influenced by government ministers.

"It's Shapps, [Boris] Johnson and Rishi Sunak who are stopping a deal being done in this dispute," he said.

But Network Rail - whose workers are due to strike - said the RMT were dismissing talks before they had finished.

Steve Montgomery, who chairs the Rail Delivery Group of operators, said it was clear the industry could not keep asking the taxpayer to fund it.

"Instead of striking, we need the RMT leadership to work with us to secure a deal that is fair to our staff, fair to our passengers and fair to taxpayers," he said.

Labour's shadow levelling-up secretary Lisa Nandy told BBC Sunday Morning the government had got to "get round the table" with rail workers and said it was "simply not good enough" that ministers had not met unions since 8 March.

The blame game is in full swing ahead of next week's strikes - the biggest on the railways in a generation.

The RMT says it is taking action to protect fair pay, conditions and to prevent job cuts. Other unions are warning they might take industrial action too if they don't get pay deals they deem to be acceptable. They believe inflation means a decent pay rise is essential.

But the government is up for the fight. Grant Shapps has been scathing of the RMT, saying its leadership seems to want a class war.

Treasury ministers also warn that if pay goes up too much, it could just make inflation worse.

The government says it wants to avoid the strike - but in cynical political terms, a row with a left-wing union is comfortable political ground for the Conservatives.

It's more tricky for Labour. The party's leadership says it doesn't want next week's strike to happen.

But is it backing the striking rail workers? There's been no definitive answer.

How much is a fair pay rise? That's for the negations, the party says.

Labour says everyone should get back around the table and find a way to avoid the strike - critics will see that as fence-sitting.

The RMT - which has 40,000 members across the rail network - has said its members are unhappy about stagnated pay and proposed job losses.

Mr Lynch denied the union was demanding a pay hike in line with the current RPI inflation rate - which was 11.1% in April - but said any proposed rise must reflect the higher cost of living.

He said the union had rejected a Network Rail offer of a 2% rise with a further 1% increase linked to job cuts. The RMT recently won an 8.4% pay rise on the London Underground, it said.

This video can not be played

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

Meanwhile, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer used a speech at a Labour event in Warwick to suggest Mr Shapps and Prime Minister Boris Johnson wanted the strikes to go ahead.

"They want the country to grind to a halt so they can feed off the division," he said.

Sir Keir said the strike would mean businesses would struggle with freight, schools exams would be hard to get to and hospital appointments would be missed.

"That's why I have said the strikes should not go ahead," he said.

Rail strike basics

• When? There will be rail strikes on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and a London Underground Strike on Tuesday
• Where? Many lines will face disruption including: Avanti West Coast; C2C; Chiltern Railways; Cross Country Trains; Croydon Tramlink; Greater Anglia; LNER; East Midlands Railway; Elizabeth Line; Great Western Railway; Hull Trains; London Underground; Northern Trains; South Eastern Railway; South Western Railway; TransPennine Express; West Midlands Trains.
• Who? The RMT union's members include everyone from guards and catering staff to signallers and track maintenance workers. Train driver members of the Aslef union will be striking on Thursday and 2 July on Greater Anglia and 28, 29 June and 13, 14 July on Croydon Tramlink.

Read more here.

Liberal Democrat transport spokesperson Sarah Olney said Mr Shapps "hasn't even met with the union bosses for well over a month".

"Not bothering to avert a crisis is a sackable offence in any other workplace," she said.

A Department for Transport spokesperson warned the railway industry, which had received £16bn support from the government during the pandemic, was "still on life support" with passenger numbers down 25%.

They said train travel was now a choice - not a necessity - and strikes could risk losing customers in the future.

How are the rail strikes affecting you? Do you rely on trains? Are you having to make alternative travel arrangements? Will you miss an important event? Get in touch by emailing: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:

• WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803
• Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay
• Or fill out the form below
• Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

• 'THEY ESCAPED THE TALIBAN': The extraordinary story of the Afghanistan women's football team
• GRENFELL: Five years on, has anything changed?

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiJGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jb20vbmV3cy91ay02MTg1NDU2N9IBKGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jb20vbmV3cy91ay02MTg1NDU2Ny5hbXA?oc=5

2022-06-19 13:04:21Z
CBMiJGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jb20vbmV3cy91ay02MTg1NDU2N9IBKGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jb20vbmV3cy91ay02MTg1NDU2Ny5hbXA

Rail and tube strikes confirmed as talks fail - BBC

PA Media

Rail and tube strikes will go ahead next week after talks failed to resolve a row over pay, jobs and conditions, union leaders have confirmed.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) said discussions with Network Rail, train operators and London Underground had failed.

The strike will cause disruption across England, Scotland and Wales.

The Department for Transport said it was disappointing and that strikes should "always be the last resort".

The action, which will involve thousands of workers, will take place across 13 train operators and Network Rail on Tuesday, Thursday and next Saturday, and there will be a London Underground strike on Tuesday.

Operators have said there will be knock-on effects on other days as well.

• When is the rail strike and which lines will be affected?
• Are UK travellers heading for a summer of misery?
• ScotRail strikes to go ahead with 90% of trains cancelled

Network Rail, which owns and maintains the country's railways, said the union was "dismissing talks before we've even finished" with more discussions planned for Sunday.

A Network Rail spokesperson said it was "serious" about trying to find a solution and a compromise which gave people a "decent pay rise", but was also affordable for taxpayers and farepayers.

Mick Lynch, the RMT's general secretary, told BBC Radio 4's Broadcasting House programme the latest offer from Network Rail was for a 2% pay increase, with a possible extra 1% if "productivity" conditions involving job cuts are accepted.

"We won't be bought off on that principle. We cannot have our members' lives disrupted in the way they are proposing," he said.

He added that he would support a so-called general strike if one were achievable.

"Working people in this country are fed up with low pay and precarious work as well as having decent conditions under threat," he said.

In a recent Q and A for members, the RMT said its position in all pay negotiations was for an above Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation pay rise.

RPI, a measure of inflation used to calculate the cost of living, was 11.1% as of April 2022 - up from 2.9% a year earlier. The union said it had recently secured an 8.4% rise workers on the London Underground.

As to whether pay rises should be backdated to compensate for pay freezes, the union said any rise "should reflect that members have not had a pay rise... and the drastic increase in the cost of living".

The RMT says there are proposals to cut 2,500 maintenance jobs on Network Rail, which the union claims could "increase the possibility of trains flying off the tracks".

Network Rail says it would never consider changes that make the railway or its people less safe.

'No one wins'

Meanwhile, passengers have been warned by Network Rail not to travel on trains unless necessary during strikes next week, with about half of all rail lines closed.

A skeleton timetable on strike days will see about 20% of services running. For example, the last direct train from Edinburgh to London on Tuesday, the first day of the strike, departs at 12:30 according to the latest timetable from LNER.

The Rail Delivery Group said that "no one wins in the event of a strike" and said it would be working alongside Network Rail to keep as many services running as possible.

The group's chair Steve Montgomery said this week that taxpayers have supported the rail industry with "the equivalent of about £600 per household since Covid" adding that "passenger numbers are still only at around 75% of pre-pandemic levels".

A Department for Transport spokesperson said the government had committed £16bn to keeping the railways running during the pandemic, but warned the industry was still "on life support" and strikes could stop customers choosing rail travel in the future.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer he wanted all parties around the negotiating table "even at this late hour" as he did not want the strikes to go ahead.

"But, like the British public, I'm frustrated because the government is sitting it out, it's not lifting a finger to resolve these strikes," he said.

How are the rail strikes affecting you? Do you rely on trains? Are you having to make alternative travel arrangements? Will you miss an important event? Get in touch by emailing: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:

• WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803
• Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay
• Or fill out the form below
• Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiJmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3VrLTYxODUyMjg20gEqaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmJjLmNvLnVrL25ld3MvdWstNjE4NTIyODYuYW1w?oc=5

2022-06-18 17:18:20Z
1471253390

Rail and tube strikes confirmed as talks fail - BBC

PA Media

Rail and tube strikes will go ahead next week after talks failed to resolve a row over pay, jobs and conditions, union leaders have confirmed.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) said discussions with Network Rail, train operators and London Underground had failed.

The strike will cause disruption across England, Scotland and Wales.

The Department for Transport said it was disappointing and that strikes should "always be the last resort".

The action, which will involve thousands of workers, will take place across 13 train operators and Network Rail on Tuesday, Thursday and next Saturday, and there will be a London Underground strike on Tuesday.

Operators have said there will be knock-on effects on other days as well.

Network Rail, which owns and maintains the country's railways, said the union was "dismissing talks before we've even finished" with more discussions planned for Sunday.

A Network Rail spokesperson said it was "serious" about trying to find a solution and a compromise which gave people a "decent pay rise", but was also affordable for taxpayers and farepayers.

In a recent Q and A for members, the RMT said its position in all pay negotiations was for an above Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation pay rise.

RPI, a measure of inflation used to calculate the cost of living, was 11.1% as of April 2022 - up from 2.9% a year earlier. The union said it had recently secured an 8.4% rise workers on the London Underground.

As to whether pay rises should be backdated to compensate for pay freezes, the union said any rise "should reflect that members have not had a pay rise... and the drastic increase in the cost of living".

• When is the rail strike and which lines will be affected?
• Are UK travellers heading for a summer of misery?

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said that "despite the best efforts of our negotiators" no viable settlements to the disputes had been created.

Mr Lynch blamed the government for cutting funding to the transport system - which he said amounted to £4bn - and said as a result companies were cutting benefits, making staff work longer, and making them poorer in retirement.

He said thousands of jobs were being cut across the rail networks and workers were facing below-inflation pay rises.

The RMT says there are proposals to cut 2,500 maintenance jobs on Network Rail, which the union claims could "increase the possibility of trains flying off the tracks".

Network Rail says it would never consider changes that make the railway or its people less safe.

'No one wins'

Meanwhile, passengers have been warned by Network Rail not to travel on trains unless necessary during strikes next week, with about half of all rail lines closed.

A skeleton timetable on strike days will see about 20% of services running. For example, the last train to London from Edinburgh departs at 13:30 and, from Manchester, at 14:47.

The Rail Delivery Group said that "no one wins in the event of a strike" and said it would be working alongside Network Rail to keep as many services running as possible.

The group's chair Steve Montgomery said this week that taxpayers have supported the rail industry with "the equivalent of about £600 per household since Covid" adding that "passenger numbers are still only at around 75% of pre-pandemic levels".

A Department for Transport spokesperson said the government had committed £16bn to keeping the railways running during the pandemic, but warned the industry was still "on life support" and strikes could stop customers choosing rail travel in the future.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer he wanted all parties around the negotiating table "even at this late hour" as he did not want the strikes to go ahead.

"But, like the British public, I'm frustrated because the government is sitting it out, it's not lifting a finger to resolve these strikes," he said.

How are the rail strikes affecting you? Do you rely on trains? Are you having to make alternative travel arrangements? Will you miss an important event? Get in touch by emailing: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:

• WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803
• Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay
• Or fill out the form below
• Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiJmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3VrLTYxODUyMjg20gEqaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmJjLmNvLnVrL25ld3MvdWstNjE4NTIyODYuYW1w?oc=5

2022-06-18 15:35:08Z
1471253390

Cost of living crisis: Thousands demand action over bills in central London march - Sky News

Thousands of people have marched in central London demanding more action from the government over the rising cost of living.

Beginning in Portland Place, they walked to Parliament Square for a rally organised by the TUC.

Banners read "end fuel poverty, insulate homes now", "nurses not nukes" and "cut war not welfare".

Songs including I Need A Dollar and Money Money Money were played through loud speakers.

The TUC said its research showed some workers had lost almost £20,000 since 2008 because pay has not kept pace with inflation.

Advertisement

Yvonne Thomas, a social care worker, told Sky News: "Sometimes you look at your gas and electric and you're starting to cry, because you don't know which one to top up first.

"You have to be working 50, 60 hours so you're able to meet your bills and pay your rent. This is not acceptable in the 21st century."

Teacher Frankie Brown, 24, said: "Every day I have got kids in my class who are going home to homes where they don't have enough to eat."

Matthew Searles, a paramedic with the London Ambulance Service, told Sky News he never imagined that in mid-life he would have to think about what food to buy. His current financial situation makes him feel like a student again, he added.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

0:59

'We deserve better'

Frances O'Grady, TUC general secretary, said it was time to "raise taxes on wealth not workers".

She added: "What about bankers' bonuses? What about the boardroom raking it in? What about corporate profits?"

Union leaders have confirmed that next week's rail and Tube strikes will go ahead, with disputes about pay, jobs and conditions still unresolved.

Boris Johnson has said Britain will get through the cost of living crisis and "come through on the other side strongly".

Image: This protester urged the prime minister to resign

Speaking after returning from a trip to Kyiv, the prime minister added: "I sympathise very much with everybody who is facing pressures caused by the cost of living. We will get through it."

He also rejected a suggestion that a £21bn package announced last month by Chancellor Rishi Sunak - including a £400 discount on energy bills for all - would potentially raise inflation.

"We don't believe that this support is inflationary," Mr Johnson said.

"We believe it will go to people who need it. We think it is completely the right thing to do."

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMidGh0dHBzOi8vbmV3cy5za3kuY29tL3N0b3J5L2Nvc3Qtb2YtbGl2aW5nLWNyaXNpcy10aG91c2FuZHMtZGVtYW5kLWFjdGlvbi1vdmVyLWJpbGxzLWluLWNlbnRyYWwtbG9uZG9uLW1hcmNoLTEyNjM2MjQy0gF4aHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdzLnNreS5jb20vc3RvcnkvYW1wL2Nvc3Qtb2YtbGl2aW5nLWNyaXNpcy10aG91c2FuZHMtZGVtYW5kLWFjdGlvbi1vdmVyLWJpbGxzLWluLWNlbnRyYWwtbG9uZG9uLW1hcmNoLTEyNjM2MjQy?oc=5

2022-06-18 15:50:42Z
1456987966

Rail and tube strikes confirmed as talks fail - BBC

PA Media

Rail and tube strikes will go ahead next week after talks failed to resolve a row over pay, jobs and conditions, union leaders have confirmed.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) said discussions with Network Rail, train operators and London Underground had failed.

The strike will cause disruption across England, Scotland and Wales.

The Department for Transport said it was disappointing and that strikes should "always be the last resort".

The action, which will involve thousands of workers, will take place across 13 train operators and Network Rail on Tuesday, Thursday and next Saturday, and there will be a London Underground strike on Tuesday.

Operators have said there will be knock-on effects on other days as well.

Network Rail, which owns and maintains the country's railways, said the union was "dismissing talks before we've even finished" with more discussions planned for Sunday.

A Network Rail spokesperson said it was "serious" about trying to find a solution and a compromise which gave people a "decent pay rise", but was also affordable for taxpayers and farepayers.

In a recent Q and A for members, the RMT said its position in all pay negotiations was for an above Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation pay rise.

RPI, a measure of inflation used to calculate the cost of living, was 11.1% as of April 2022 - up from 2.9% a year earlier. The union said it had recently secured an 8.4% rise workers on the London Underground.

As to whether pay rises should be backdated to compensate for pay freezes, the union said any rise "should reflect that members have not had a pay rise... and the drastic increase in the cost of living".

• When is the rail strike and which lines will be affected?
• Are UK travellers heading for a summer of misery?

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said that "despite the best efforts of our negotiators" no viable settlements to the disputes had been created.

Mr Lynch blamed the government for cutting funding to the transport system - which he said amounted to £4bn - and said as a result companies were cutting benefits, making staff work longer, and making them poorer in retirement.

He said thousands of jobs were being cut across the rail networks and workers were facing below-inflation pay rises.

The RMT says there are proposals to cut 2,500 maintenance jobs on Network Rail, which the union said could "increase the possibility of trains flying off the tracks".

'No one wins'

Meanwhile, passengers have been warned by Network Rail not to travel on trains unless necessary during strikes next week, with about half of all rail lines closed.

A skeleton timetable on strike days will see about 20% of services running. For example, the last train to London from Edinburgh departs at 13:30 and, from Manchester, at 14:47.

The Rail Delivery Group said that "no one wins in the event of a strike" and said it would be working alongside Network Rail to keep as many services running as possible.

The group's chair Steve Montgomery said this week that taxpayers have supported the rail industry with "the equivalent of about £600 per household since Covid" adding that "passenger numbers are still only at around 75% of pre-pandemic levels".

A Department for Transport spokesperson said the government had committed £16bn to keeping the railways running during the pandemic, but warned the industry was still "on life support" and strikes could stop customers choosing rail travel in the future.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer he wanted all parties around the negotiating table "even at this late hour" as he did not want the strikes to go ahead.

"But, like the British public, I'm frustrated because the government is sitting it out, it's not lifting a finger to resolve these strikes," he said.

How are the rail strikes affecting you? Do you rely on trains? Are you having to make alternative travel arrangements? Will you miss an important event? Get in touch by emailing: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:

• WhatsApp: +44 7756 165803
• Tweet: @BBC_HaveYourSay
• Or fill out the form below
• Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

Adblock test (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiJmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3VrLTYxODUyMjg20gEqaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmJjLmNvLnVrL25ld3MvdWstNjE4NTIyODYuYW1w?oc=5

2022-06-18 14:20:29Z
1471253390