Christmas wreckers

The decision of rail workers belonging to the RMT to reject a nine per cent, two-year pay deal guarantees a long, hard winter for travellers. It is almost incomprehensible for such an increase to be spurned since it is only marginally below the rate of inflation, which will almost certainly fall in the New Year.

The offer was put to the RMT’S 40,000 members with a recommendation that it should be turned down because it was attached to changes in employment conditions. On a turnout of 83 per cent, nearly two-thirds of members voted to reject.

Mick Lynch, the RMT boss, is now emboldened to continue with a series of stoppages lasting for most of this week and then continuing over Christmas. Between now and Jan 6, the disruption will be considerable with no trains on many days, even though the drivers belonging to Aslef will not be on strike.

Mark Harper, the Transport Secretary, said families separated at Christmas and unable to travel should prepare for a “virtual” Yuletide. This statement was almost comical, since the Government itself cancelled one Christmas and curtailed celebrations of another during the coronavirus pandemic.

For such a miserable experience to be visited upon the country for the third year running is unconscionable, especially when a pay offer that would be acceptable to most has been made.

The hard–left leadership would have recommended acceptance of the pay offer if it had any consideration for the interests of its members, let alone those of the wider public. It is hard to see the RMT’S action now as anything other than politically motivated.