The prospect of the largest rail strike in decades has moved one step closer after thousands of workers supported labor struggles.
Railway workers have voted overwhelmingly for a strike, the trade union RMT announced – a total of 71% of eligible voters took part in the vote, with 89% voting in favor and 11% voting against.
The union will now decide when strikes should be called, forcing some parts of the network to come to a standstill. It will require urgent talks with Network Rail and the 15 train operators in an attempt to reach an agreement before the action takes place.
Services could be reduced to about one-fifth of the normal daily schedule. It is also possible that the trains only run part of the day, such as from kl. 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on the main lines only.
There are three issues that are at the heart of the union’s controversy: wages, forced redundancies and security concerns.
RMT Secretary-General Mick Lynch said: “Today’s overwhelming support from railway workers is a justification for the union’s approach and sends a clear message that members want a decent wage increase, job security and no mandatory redundancies.
“Our NEC will now meet to discuss a mid-June strike schedule, but we sincerely hope ministers will encourage employers to return to the negotiating table and reach a reasonable settlement with the RMT.”
If strikes continue, they will cost the rail industry about £ 30 million a day, according to sources.
The government is demanding savings
The controversy stems from the government’s demands for savings on a network that was backed by taxpayers when passenger numbers collapsed during the COVID crisis.
The Ministry of Transport estimates the amount at £ 16 billion.
But the union claims that Network Rail’s plans – not yet made public – would lead to cuts and compromise security.
It claims that Network Rail intends to cut at least 2,500 maintenance jobs as part of a £ 2 billion reduction in network costs, while train company staff have been hit by pay cuts, job threats and attacks on their terms and conditions. .
RMT says its members also deserve a negotiated wage settlement, as the cost of living crisis is gaining momentum following an effective wage freeze since 2020.
‘Everyone loses if there is a strike’
Andrew Haines, CEO of Network Rail, has accused the union of “jumping”.[iing] pistols “.
“Everyone loses if there is a strike,” he said. “We know that our people are concerned about job security and wages. As a public body, we have worked to offer a wage increase that taxpayers can afford, and we continue to discuss this with our unions.
“We urge the RMT to sit down with us and keep talking, not go, so that we can find a compromise and avoid harmful fighting.
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“We are at a key point in the recovery of the railway from the pandemic. The taxpayer has given the industry a value of £ 16 billion in additional life support over the last two years and it can not continue.
“Travel habits have changed forever, and the railway also needs to change to adapt to this new reality. We believe that by modernizing – creating safer jobs for our people and operating the railway more efficiently – we can build a sustainable future with a railway that delivers to passengers and taxpayers.
“Any fight now would be catastrophic for the recovery of our industry and would have a huge impact on vital supply and freight chains. It would also serve to undermine our collective ability to afford the wage increases we want to make.”
Heart attack for a network ‘already on life support’
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told Sky News earlier Tuesday that any widespread strike could give a “heart attack” to a network already on life support and that any such action would be “very, very premature”.
The RMT said there was no immediate prospect of dates for the strike – which could potentially be the most disruptive since 1994 – as it wanted talks with ministers and other parties involved in the dispute.
He has hinted at some action on the pay issue, but there is clearly bad blood between the couple.
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Comments in a Sunday Telegraph interview in which Mr Shapps said the government was looking at drafting laws that would ensure minimum service levels during hostilities have raised trade union chops.
Shapps has also confirmed that contingency plans that are being prepared for any rail strike will prioritize freight traffic before passenger trains to ensure the shelves are kept in stock.
