Rail strikes: Union boss urges government to ‘tone down rhetoric’on June 25, 2022 at 12:22 pm

The RMT union has urged the government to “tone down the rhetoric”, as travel disruption continues on the third day of rail strikes.

Its general secretary Mick Lynch called on Transport Secretary Grant Shapps to engage in talks.

Mr Shapps has accused the union of “damaging people’s lives”.

Rail passengers across Britain are facing another day of severely restricted services.

Mr Lynch said negotiations with Network Rail and train companies would continue on Monday, but described the road to a resolution as “very steep”.

The union, whose members include everyone from guards and signallers to catering staff and cleaners, wants a written guarantee from the rail operator that no compulsory redundancies will be made as part of planned reforms.

Mr Lynch said negotiations could then move on to a pay deal and the dispute could be settled.

On Saturday he again urged Mr Shapps to engage in talks saying: “He needs to tone down the rhetoric and get on with his job, which is to settle this dispute.”

Earlier in the week the transport secretary insisted the dispute must be resolved between the union and rail bosses, saying calls for government involvement were a “stunt” by the union.

Meanwhile, Network Rail says there are 2,000 vacancies in the company, and it does not expect to make anyone redundant who does not want to go.

But it says it cannot know how many jobs might be affected until planned reforms to how the railways are maintained, are put in place.

Several seaside destinations have no services, including Bournemouth, Blackpool, Margate, Llandudno, and Skegness. And no trains are running in Cornwall.

There are several big events in London over the weekend, including a sell-out Rolling Stones concert in Hyde Park and Ed Sheeran at Wembley.

Services across England, Wales and Scotland are primarily restricted to main lines, and those are only open between 07:30 and 18:30 BST.

Passengers with pre-booked tickets are able to travel on Sunday or Monday instead, or claim a refund.

Mr Lynch said the RMT would continue “working constructively with the companies to strike a deal”.

As well as assurances of no compulsory redundancies, the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union is looking for a pay rise of at least 7%.

The union says an offer of a 2% pay rise, with the possibility of a further 1%, was “unacceptable”, pointing to the rising cost of living.

Network Rail said it would consider a pay rise above 3%, but only if the union agreed to modernise working practices.