Posing on the picket line, it’s Rayner’s squeeze (the Labour transport chief!)
A LABOUR transport spokesman repeatedly joined picket lines during strikes that brought misery to hundreds of thousands of commuters.
Shadow Minister Sam Tarry was pictured posing beside an RMT trade union banner emblazoned with the slogan ‘Never On Our Knees’ during a 24-hour walkout by London Underground staff and has voiced his ‘solidarity’ with a train driver who refused to cross a picket line.
Mr Tarry, who was spotted earlier this year leaving the London flat of Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner with a toothpaste in his coat pocket, was appointed Shadow Minister for buses and local transport in January.
Like his party, he yesterday failed to condemn a planned national strike by the RMT – which may come as little surprise given that he joined picket lines at least three times between 2014 and 2017 as a senior official with the TSSA rail union.
He stood beside the TSSA’s general secretary Manuel Cortes and at least eight other striking workers on a picket line outside a closed London Bridge station in January 2017, tweeting proudly that this was his ‘second picket of the day’.
The 24-hour walkout caused chaos for commuters during the first working week of the year.
Quizzed at the scene about the impact the strike was having on hard-pressed passengers, he replied: ‘I understand it is difficult. I am going to be walking three miles to Euston station shortly and I’ve got my boots on.
‘I understand it inconveniences people... but our members are losing a day’s pay and always reluctantly go on strike.’
In June 2014, during another 24-hour strike, he tweeted ‘true solidarity from RMT brother train driver refusing to cross the picket line’.
Last night, a Labour spokesperson said: ‘It’s vital that Ministers get around the table with Network Rail, the operators and the union to address the issues, find a resolution to this dispute and avoid disruption.’