Fresh rail strikes on Eurovision final day as rail workers walk out - but union denies 'cynically targeting' event
13 May 2023, 08:32 | Updated: 13 May 2023, 09:59
Travellers have been hit with fresh train strikes on Saturday as members of the RMT union walked out as part of their ongoing dispute over pay and conditions.
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Some 14 train operators will be affected across England, with some running a limited service.
People travelling to watch Eurovision in Liverpool on Saturday are evening set to be impacted by the strike, but RMT denied planning the strike to coincide with the song contest.
Mark Harper, the secretary of state for transport, said striking workers were "cynically targeting" Eurovision.
Eurovision fans travelling to Liverpool from Euston station in London said they were worried about the disruption.
Trina Rustlie, a Norwegian living in London, said: "We were a little bit afraid, we had to take the fast train and pay more, but that's okay," she said.
"I'm mostly excited to see Norway perform."
Katie O'Reilly, 46, an accountant from Cardiff on her way to Liverpool Lime Street, said she had planned to drive to the city for Eurovision if train strikes had disrupted her journey.
Sje said: "We're very excited, we go a lot, we've been overseas for them. I've been a fan since I was about six.
"The train disruption is a factor, but as long as our train there works then we are happy. We had ulterior plans, if we couldn't get a train then we were going to drive up there. We booked our tickets about four or five months ago.
"We're excited to take the atmosphere in, go to the Eurovillage, go to the club, very excited. I'm with my best friend from university, so what could be nicer?"
Merseyrail, which runs trains around the city of Liverpool itself, is not affected by these strikes. The company said it would run services late into the night.
But most train companies going to and from the city will only run limited services on Saturday because of the industrial action.
National Express, which runs coaches, said it would be laying on 33 extra services in a bid to compensate for the strikes.
Meanwhile RMT general secretary Mick Lynch has written to Mr Harper to call for an industry summit of unions, employers and government "to end chaos on the railways and resolve the toxic rail dispute", the union said.
The rail delivery group, which represents the train operators, said it had offered rail workers a backdated pay rise of 5% for last year.
A pay rise for a second year depends on on reforms being negotiated.
Mr Harper has urged the RMT to give its members a vote on the RDG's offer.
It comes after a day of strike action by train drivers in the Aslef union - after rejecting an 8% wage rise over two years.
RMT members were previously also in a dispute with Network Rail, who operate the railway infrastructure, but voted to accept a pay deal in March.
Mr Lynch told LBC: "The Network Rail deal was a better deal. It had more cash in the offer than this one.
"It's in the technicalities of the way the deal works, so what we need to do is get around the table and get a document written down in a way that is clear."
Further strikes are scheduled for May 31 and June 3, on the day of the FA Cup final.
Transport minister Huw Merriman apologised to anyone affected by the strike action, and said that the Government has tabled offers or allowed the employers to table offers ministers believe are "fair and reasonable".
Huw Merriman thinks ASLEF deal is fair
"Some of those offers have been put through to members and accepted," he said.
"But in these particular two circumstances, the union leaders refused to do so.
"We’re calling for them to do just that, put them to the members, see if they’re accepted, and if they are, this ends the action."
It comes after it was announced on Thursday that train services run by TransPennine Express will be brought under Government control, due to months of "continuous cancellations".
The service has been severely affected by a ban on drivers who are members of the Aslef union volunteering to do paid overtime shifts.
