SORT IT , BORIS
Sturgeon: Respect workers
NICOLA Sturgeon yesterday called on the UK Government to “start doing their job” and sort out the rail dispute.
Train services have been drastically reduced after a nationwide walkout by RMT union members working for Network Rail in a row over pay, working practices and job cuts.
Boris Johnson’s Government has been accused of deliberately preventing a settlement.
Asked at First Minister’s Questions yesterday whether she believed the UK Government’s plans to replace strikers with agency staff is “inflaming” the issue, Sturgeon said the Tories should show workers some respect.
Sturgeon added: “[Workers] are paying the price for Tory anti-trade union rhetoric, in fact, anti-trade unionism which I completely deprecate. We should respect workers across the economy.
“We should respect public sector workers and we should seek to negotiate fair resolution to disputes, particularly at a time of inflation – inflation being exacerbated in the UK by the folly of Brexit.
“The rail strike that is crippling the UK right now is not the result of a pay dispute with ScotRail, it is a dispute with Network Rail and with English train operating companies, therefore it is entirely a reserved matter.
“And the other thing I remember from a few weeks ago in this chamber when there was potential for a ScotRail dispute, Tory MSPs getting up and demanding intervention from this Government to resolve it.
“So let me repeat the call today for the UK Government to start doing their job to get round the table to bring a resolution to this and to drop the anti-trade unionism and have some respect for workers across the economy.”
Another strike is planned for Saturday and ScotRail has warned the disruption could continue until next week.
Kevin Groves, of Network Rail, said: “Negotiation is about give and take, and at the moment the RMT are just take, take, take.”
● Meanwhile, holidaymakers are facing more disruption after British Airways check-in staff at Heathrow voted overwhelmingly for strikes over the summer.
Members of Unite and the GMB backed action over the firm’s failure to reinstate a 10 per cent pay cut imposed on staff during the Covid pandemic.