Rail strikes to go ahead after talks fail to resolve dispute

UNION leaders have confirmed that next week’s rail strikes will go ahead after talks failed to resolve a bitter row over pay, jobs and conditions.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) said it had held discussions in the past few weeks at senior levels with Network Rail, train operators and London Underground.

General secretary Mick Lynch said: “Despite the best efforts of our negotiators no viable settlements to the disputes have been created.”

He confirmed that strikes at Network Rail and 13 train operators will go ahead on Tuesday, Thursday and next Saturday and on London Underground on Tuesday.

The action by tens of thousands of rail workers will cripple services for most of the week.

Mr Lynch said: “It has to be restated that the source of these disputes is the decision by the Tory government to cut £4bn of funding from our transport systems - £2bn from national rail and £2bn from Transport for London.

“As a result of this transport austerity imposed by the government, the employing companies have taken decisions to savage the Railway Pension Scheme and the Transport for London scheme, cutting benefits, making staff work longer and poorer in retirement, while paying increased contributions.”

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “Strikes should always be the last resort, not the first, so it is hugely disappointing and premature that the RMT is going ahead with industrial action.

“The government committed £16 billion - to keep our railways running throughout the pandemic while ensuring not a single worker lost their job.”