Your days are numbered, Shapps tells rail union hardliners

THE days of militant rail unions holding the country to ransom ‘are numbered’, the Transport Secretary said last night.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Grant Shapps revealed that he has been quietly working on a multipronged plan to crush hard-Left union barons for good.

He is preparing to serve them with Section 188 legal warnings within weeks to force through reforms including guardless trains.

Mr Shapps said legislation requiring a minimum number of trains to be run in future strikes is ‘written and ready to go’ for the new prime minister to pass through Parliament by the autumn.

It comes ahead of the 24-hour walkout today by drivers’ union Aslef, which will bring vast swathes of the railways to a grinding halt.

Mr Shapps said: ‘It won’t make me at all popular with the unions, but I’m absolutely convinced passengers are on our side.

‘They’re fed up with this and they want to see the railway service running properly.

‘We’re going to win this… I’m afraid for the unions this is their last stand. Their days of holding passengers to

‘For the unions, this is their last stand’

ransom are numbered.’ The RMT has snubbed an 8 per cent pay rise over this year and next from Network Rail, an offer Mr Shapps said was ‘very good’.

Network Rail has issued the union with a Section 188 warning, meaning that it can begin forcing through changes without its consent.

But Mr Shapps said the notices will also start being served on behalf of 15 train operators serving most of England within weeks.

Minimum service levels could be in place by autumn, he said, adding: ‘At the moment, the legislation is written and ready to go and looking for a slot in the legislative timetable in Parliament.’

No trains will be running either in or out of London Euston or Birmingham New Street on the West Coast main line today.

The action kick-starts a week of misery for rail travellers, with workers belonging to the RMT at Network Rail and 14 operators walking out next Thursday and Saturday.

RMT union boss Mick Lynch last night threatened to retaliate with more strikes. He said: ‘If Mr Shapps proceeds on this course, RMT will use the industrial mandate it has from its 40,000 members in this dispute to take more strike action in the coming weeks and months.

‘He is a dreadful minister, who is continuing his dereliction of duty by issuing idle threats against railway workers.’