Train passengers face another week of chaos on Britain’s railways as a series of bitter and long-running industrial disputes drags into the new year and looks set to disrupt the return to work after the Christmas holidays.
Rail users have been warned to “only travel if absolutely necessary” between Tuesday and Saturday, with large parts of the network down and framework services expected to operate elsewhere.
Around 40,000 RMT members will stage walkouts on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, in a dispute over pay, job security and changes to working practices. Train drivers represented by the Aslef trade union will walk out on Thursday in a row over pay, ending a five-day journey of misery for passengers.
The week of rail disruptions comes as the government faces a growing wave of industrial unrest in the public sector, with unions pushing for significant pay rises to offset rising costs of living.
Control room staff and traffic officers will be joined by driving instructors this week as PCS, the civil service union, strikes at the National Highways and Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency. Nurses and ambulance workers are also set for further industrial action this month.
The railway network has been hit by the most widespread attack so far this winter. This week is set to end almost a month of continuous disruption due to a series of walkouts by the RMT throughout December along with overtime bans on other days, which have led to reduced services on many lines.
The RMT, Britain’s biggest transport union, is locked in two separate disputes with 14 train operating companies and infrastructure provider Network Rail.
On Monday, Mick Lynch, RMT general secretary, accused the government of obstructing the union’s efforts to reach a deal with employers. “There is an unprecedented level of ministerial interference [in this dispute]which prevents the rail employers from negotiating a package of measures with us, so that we can resolve this dispute.
He told the BBC that there had been no formal talks with management since mid-December. “It’s been radio silence.”
Last month, the Financial Times reported that ministers had blocked the industry from offering higher wages and added tough new conditions at the last minute.
The government, which controls the purse strings of the now fully nationalized industry, is urging the unions to make concessions.
“Passengers have had enough of rail strikes and want the disruption to end,” he said. “The government has demonstrated that it is sufficient and ready to facilitate resolutions to settle disputes. It is time for the trade unions to come to the table and also play a role.
The ministers stressed that the railways are facing a financial crisis after the pandemic and the collapse of commuters, and must complete reforms and modernization.
There is some optimism in the industry that a deal to end the Network Rail dispute is possible as talks are expected to resume in the coming weeks.
In December, the RMT rejected a 9 per cent pay rise over two years, with more going to low-paid staff, linked to major changes in working practices. The union has since been isolated, after the TSSA and Unite unions accepted a similar deal.
The boss of Network Rail has also been buoyed by signs that the strike began to crack as the staff lost money, and estimated that about 2,000 people left in one day of strike in December. The RMT said support for the strike remained high among members.
Disputes with train operating companies appear to be more difficult to resolve. The industry offered an 8 per cent rise, linked to workplace reforms which the RMT could not accept.
Additional reporting by Jasmine Cameron-Chileshe