RMT says train strike resolution ‘further away’ as union accuses government of 'torpedoing' negotiations
7 December 2022, 21:14 | Updated: 7 December 2022, 21:24
Train strikes look set to cause chaos this Christmas, as union bosses claim last-minute government intervention has ensured a resolution over pay, jobs and conditions looks “further away”.
The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union has tonight said the government has blocked revised offers by the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), ordering them to “take on” proposed strike action instead of attempting further negotiations.
A statement from the RMT union said rail operators had been “instructed” to accept such strikes by the government who had “torpedoed” the dispute resolution process.
It comes as Rishi Sunak vowed to make "tough laws" to stop future strike chaos.
The RMT said: “There will be no revised offer from [RDG] on the [train operating companies]-side of the dispute and they have been instructed by the Government instead to take on the strike action set out, rather than trying to resolve the dispute through negotiations.
Read more: Zelensky and ‘spirit of Ukraine’ named Time person of year
“It is now absolutely clear that the RDG’s attempts to resolve the dispute by making a revised and improved offer have been blocked by the Government."
The statement added that the RMT “cannot and never will” accept the introduction of Driver Only Operation (DOO) “as a national principle for operating the railways”.
It comes as thousands of travellers across the UK look set for major disruption over the Christmas period, as they attempt to see family and friends.
The move means that strike action, scheduled to take place across four 48-hour periods as on 24-27 December, still looks set to go ahead.
The current strike dates are: 13-14 December, 16-17 December, 24-27 December, 3-4 January and 6-7 January.
It follows comments from Network Rail’s chief executive Andrew Haines, who said the union had “deliberately chosen to try and ruin Christmas for millions of passengers and businesses”.
The RMT said “it is also clear that it is the Government itself” had insisted the point of driver only operation being inserted in to the proposals on Sunday evening as a pre-condition.
They added it was the government was responsible for the “failure to progress proposals towards a resolution”, describing them as having “torpedoed” the dispute resolution process.
The RMT added: “The planned Industrial action for RMT Train Operating Company members goes ahead as scheduled as there is no resolution to the dispute and in fact a resolution to the dispute is now further away due to the Government’s late intervention in the negotiating process.”
