It’s what Castro would’ve wanted
Rail militant hails late Cuban dictator as union calls yet more strikes in the run-up to Christmas
MILITANT rail union bosses announced more strikes in the run-up to Christmas last night as one paid tribute to their ‘comrade and inspiration’ Fidel Castro.
Drivers on Southern rail yesterday voted overwhelmingly for walkouts in a dispute over the introduction of trains which are solely operated by drivers.
Members of the union Aslef will now stage strikes timed to cause maximum disruption for commuters and those travelling home from Christmas parties.
The first will be next Tuesday to coincide with a three- day walkout by guards on Southern orchestrated by the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers union – whose leader said they were getting on ‘with the job of organising for the future just as Castro would have wanted’.
The joint walkout will also coincide with a 24-hour strike by drivers on the Tube’s Piccadilly and Hammersmith and City lines, inflicting more misery on London commuters. It relates to separate safety concerns about the wheels on trains.
Drivers on Southern will stage further strikes over the festive period, including on December 13, 14 and 16. Another is scheduled for Monday, January 9 to Saturday, January 14, and from New Year’s Eve to January 2. Conductors will strike from December 22 to Christmas Eve, and from New Year’s Eve to January 2.
Mick Whelan, the £120,000-ayear boss of Aslef who has previously likened the Tory government to the Nazi party, yesterday described Southern rail as a ‘ bully’. He accused the Department for Transport of having its fingerprints ‘all over this dispute’.
But union bosses have been accused of trying to ruin Christmas. The RMT’s £128,000a-year boss Mick Cash risked angering passengers further yesterday by citing Castro as an inspiration. The firebrand union boss said he was saddened to hear of the death of the 90-yearold communist Cuban dictator, describing him as a ‘comrade and inspiration’ for trade unions for six decades.
Passengers on Southern rail have endured chaos for months, with walkouts by guards over the decision to hand responsibility to drivers for opening and closing train doors. Independent safety watchdogs have concluded this poses no danger.
Commuters were yesterday warned of the worst disruption so far. Southern rail has been able to run around six in ten trains during previous RMT strikes. But the franchise’s owner, Govia Thameslink Railway, said the walkout by drivers would bring the network to a standstill as no trains will be able to run if drivers do not turn up to work.
Charles Horton, chief executive of Govia Thameslink Railway, said it was perfectly safe for drivers to have sole responsibility for operating trains, stressing this is how more than a third of UK trains already run.
He said: ‘ Passengers will be rightly furious that these wholly unnecessary and unjustified strikes have been called in the run- up to Christmas. These strikes will have a devastating impact on the South East economy and people’s everyday lives.’
The strike announcements came as Post Office workers said they would walk out on Saturday, the busiest day of the year for those sending gifts abroad.
The 24-hour action will involve more than 700 managers at Crown Post Offices, the larger branches usually on high streets. It relates to the decision to shut the Post Office’s generous final salary pension scheme, as well as cuts to jobs and branch closures.
They will be joining a strike by the Communication Workers Union which is also in a dispute with the Post Office.
A Post Office spokesman said: ‘We are extremely sorry that the unions are attempting to disrupt services for people sending parcels and cards to loved ones in the run-up to Christmas.
‘However, we would like to reassure our customers that, if a strike goes ahead, it will impact less than 300 of our 11,600 branches.’