Rail strikes to cause Christmas travel chaos
RMT industrial action across the festive season will cause disruption for the best part of a month
Rail passengers will be hit by waves of strikes in the run-up to Christmas and in the new year after talks to avoid festive travel chaos collapsed. The Rail, Maritime and Transport workers union said 40,000 members would walk out on eight days – Dec 13, 14, 16 and 17, and Jan 3, 4, 6 and 7. Only one in five trains is expected to run on strike days, with reduced service the day after industrial action. Coupled with engineering works, some lines will suffer major disruption for the best part of a month.
‘This latest round of strikes will show how important our members are to the running of this country’
‘Striking makes the railway’s financial hole bigger and the task of finding a resolution ever more difficult’
RAIL passengers will be hit by waves of strikes in the run-up to Christmas and in the new year after talks to avoid festive travel chaos collapsed.
The RMT said 40,000 members would walk out on eight days – Dec 13, 14, 16 and 17 and Jan 3, 4, 6 and 7.
The strikes will effectively bring rail services to a near-standstill for a week from Dec 13 and the first working week in the new year.
Only one in five trains is expected to run on strike days. And because of the knock-on effect to schedules, the day following industrial action means passengers will endure a significantly reduced service. Coupled with engineering works between Christmas and new year, passengers on some lines will suffer major disruption for the best part of a month. The industrial action marks the latest twist in a long-running row over pay and working practices.
Rail bosses want to cut costs to balance the books as demand for services settles below pre-pandemic levels.
Union chiefs are opposing reforms to save money and are demanding large pay increases as their members grapple with soaring inflation.
Mick Lynch, the RMT general secretary, said: “This latest round of strikes will show how important our members are to the running of this country and will send a clear message that we want a good deal on job security, pay and conditions for our people.”
So-called “intensive” talks had been convened earlier this month, raising hopes of a breakthrough. The RMT called off a week-long campaign of industrial action at the 11th hour leading to significant disruption to services during the following days – despite no official strikes going ahead.
The talks with the RMT, which have dragged on since the start of the summer, have been conducted by Network Rail and train operators.
Network Rail has offered an 8 per cent pay rise over two years but this is linked to reforms to entrenched working practices such as the “walking time allowance” of 12 minutes for staff to get from their trains to the messroom for their break.
Tim Shoveller, Network Rail’s chief negotiator, said: “No-one can deny the precarious financial hole in which the railway finds itself. Striking makes that hole bigger and the task of finding a resolution ever more difficult.
“Only through reform, that will not result in anyone losing their job, can savings be made that can then be converted into an improved offer. And while progress has been made over these last two weeks, we still have yet to find that breakthrough. We will not give-up and hope that the RMT will return to the table with a more realistic appreciation of the situation.”
A spokesman for the Rail Delivery Group, said: “We made real progress over the last fortnight of talks and for the first time in months we can see the outline of a credible deal.
“Further strikes will disrupt the first normal festive season our passengers have been able to look forward to since the pandemic, taking even more money out of the pockets of railway staff, and will cause huge damage to the hospitality and retail sectors dependent on this time of the year for their businesses. We owe it to them to stay round the table.”
Mr Lynch added: “The employers are in disarray and saying different things to different people sometimes at the same time. This whole process has become a farce that only the new Secretary of State can resolve.
“When I meet him later this week, I will deliver that message.”