The ongoing conflict over compensation, jobs, and working conditions has resulted in tens of thousands of train workers going on strike once again this morning, causing further distress for rail customers.
Members of the Rail, Maritime, and Transport union (RMT), the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA), and unite are on a 24-hour strike, affecting Network Rail and several railway operators in the United Kingdom.
RMT members at Network Rail and 14 train operators, TSSA members at seven businesses, Unite members at NR, and London United bus drivers will strike once more.
This morning, the Secretary of Transport, Grant Shapps, slammed union executives, claiming they are “dedicated to causing as much agony as possible.”
Sunday am train service will be impacted as a result of Saturday’s activity.
As a result of the unions’ second strike in three days, less than one in five trains will operate today, and in some locations, no trains will run at all.
Fans of football and cricket, tourists, and vacationers will be affected by the inconvenience.
Despite months of meetings aimed at breaking the impasse, the sides remain as far apart as ever in settling the dispute, with union frustration growing over Mr. Shapps’ refusal to participate in negotiations.
It is the eleventh day of strike action on the rail and underground network, following separate walkouts by tube workers and some bus drivers in the capital on Friday, which caused travel mayhem.
Mick Lynch, general secretary of the RMT, stated that public support for the strikes is “solidifying” and that the public is “totally behind us.”
Asked on BBC Breakfast whether popular support may fade as the issue continues, he responded, ‘I do not believe we have reached a tipping point.’ I believe popular support for this disagreement is consolidating.
Across the nation, campaigns and rallies are being organized in support of these types of events. We have witnessed Unite bus workers enter into this struggle, as well as numerous groups of workers achieving big wage increases.
“I believe the British public is sick and tired of being ripped off by this government and by corporate Britain, which has allowed businesses like BP and British Gas to make enormous profits while people struggle to make ends meet.
The government is supporting the firms in this effort, and we’re determined to secure a fair deal for our workers. We’re confident we’ll succeed, and the public appears to be on board with our campaign.
Regarding additional strikes, he stated, ‘I’ll be speaking with senior executives in the industry throughout next week in an effort to find solutions to these issues. Then, we’ll determine whether we need to engage in further industrial action, but I must say that it’s highly probable given the current gulf between us.’
Members of the TSSA taking action include personnel from ticket offices, stations, control rooms, engineering, planning, timetabling, and other support positions.
The union is requesting assurances that there would be no mandatory layoffs, a wage increase commensurate with the cost of living, and no unilateral changes to employment terms and circumstances.
Mr. Shapps stated, “It is evident, based on their coordinated approach, that the unions are hell-bent on delivering as much pain as possible to the very same taxpayers who forked over £600 per household to ensure no rail worker lost their job during the pandemic.”
Unfortunately, union leaders have short memory and will reward this act of goodwill by spoiling the summer plans of millions of hardworking people.
The rail unions responded angrily to the Transport Secretary’s warning that measures sought by employers and central to the current train strikes could be implemented.
Mr. Shapps stated that he would need to adopt legislation known as a “section 188” in order to implement some of the changes.
He told Sky News on Friday, ‘What I do know and what I can say with absolute certainty is that if we can’t get this settled in the way that we are proposing, which is, ‘Please put the deal to your membership,’ then we will have to move to what is known as a section 188, which is a process of mandating that these changes be implemented.
That is the current trajectory of the situation.
The TSSA said that the Transportation Secretary advocated firing and rehiring employees.
Section 188 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act, according to the union, is a responsibility requiring employers to confer with trade union representatives, but it is not a vehicle for mandating unilateral change.
Network Rail has already issued a notice of compulsory redundancies in conjunction with its intention to eliminate up to 1,900 positions from the industry, according to the TSSA, adding that this is not “reform” but “cutting.”
‘Many of the planned changes necessitate substantial modifications to employment contracts, including rosters, longer night shifts, and working procedures. These require agreement between the employer and the union. This is just another cause for our strike, stated a spokesperson.
Grant Shapps has not participated in any talks with trade unions during the months-long dispute, despite repeated appeals for him to attend or to enable companies to bargain freely without his and his department’s influence.
Manuel Cortes, general secretary of the Transport and General Workers’ Association, stated, “This is more desperation from Shapps to divert attention from the genuine concerns in the train dispute. He is currently an advocate for firing and rehiring.
“Grant Shapps is touring TV studios spewing anti-worker drivel when, as Transport Secretary, he has the authority to end this conflict.”
At every stage, his actions escalate the conflict and make it more difficult to reach a conclusion. It is evident that he desires for negotiations to fail. Any reasonable government or employer would recognize the destructive impact their policies have on the railway workforce and negotiate with their Unions to establish a fair and just path forward.
“Tightening the screws on trade unions will neither solve the Tory cost-of-living crisis or the frantic pleas from people across the country for a pay increase after years of wage freezes,” the author argues.
Mick Lynch stated, ‘Mr. Shapps has no authority to issue Section 188 notifications because he is not the legal employer. However, he now seems intent on forcing through the dismissal and rehiring of rail workers, despite previously claiming he had nothing to do with negotiations between employers and unions.
‘Despite his claims, it is evident that Mr. Shapps has dictated how the train companies should negotiate with RMT, and he is now telling them to terminate and rehire people.
“The minister appears increasingly desperate and out of touch, making ludicrous statements about rail services between London and Manchester without a clue as to what is actually taking place.”
Instead of threatening to destroy thousands of safety-critical jobs, introducing driver-only trains, closing ticket offices, bailing out private rail businesses, and enacting more anti-union legislation, the government and employers should engage in substantive negotiations with RMT.