Train strike – live: Biggest strike in 30 years to go ahead after last-ditch talks fail
Workers prepared for ‘war of attrition’, says union boss
JimMin
Workers facing ‘an aggressive agenda of cuts to jobs, conditions, pay and pensions’, says union boss
Grant Shapps urges rail workers to not go on strike
The rail strikes are to go ahead after last ditch talks failed to resolve a dispute over pay, jobs and conditions, the RMT union said on Monday.
Services on the railways and London Underground are set be crippled from midnight in the biggest walkout in the industry for more than 30 years. Talks were held into Monday afternoon but the sides remain deadlocked over a deal.
The RMT said the train operators have now made an offer and there is no further offer from Network Rail following one which was rejected last Friday.
General secretary Mick Lynch said: “Faced with such an aggressive agenda of cuts to jobs, conditions, pay and pensions, RMT has no choice but to defend our members industrially to stop this race to the bottom.
“The strikes on Network Rail, the train operators and London Underground will go ahead, and we again call on our members to stand firm, support the action, mount the pickets and demonstrate their willingness to fight for workplace justice.”
Meanwhile, transport secretary Grant Shapps has denied that he is “the problem” in relation to rail strikes and called for the unions to sit down with employers.
Government admits it has still had zero meetings with rail unions on eve of strike
The government is facing criticism after admitting it has still had zero meetings with unions on the eve of Britain’s biggest rail strike in a generation.
Ministers have been accused of a “dereliction of duty” after deciding not to intervene in talks between unions and employers, despite calls for them to play a role.
The Department for Transport confirmed on Monday afternoon ahead of the strike that ministers did not believe it was their responsibility to wade into the dispute.
Jon Stone reports.
Joe Middleton20 June 2022 15:45
Rail strikes to go ahead after last ditch talks fail to resolve dispute, RMT says
The rail strikes are to go ahead after last ditch talks failed to resolve a dispute over pay, jobs and conditions, the RMT union said.
Thomas Kingsley has the details.
Joe Middleton20 June 2022 15:23
Agencies tell Boris Johnson to drop ‘worrying’ plan to use their staff to break strikes
Recruitment firms have attacked Boris Johnson’s plan to tear up laws to prevent the use of strike-busting agency staff – warning it will break international commitments.
The head of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation, which represents more than 3,000 agencies, also warned the idea would fail to avert the rail strikes and would only “prolong” the bitter dispute.
Legislation is expected this week to repeal the ban – introduced in 1973 by Edward Heath’s Conservative government – as a ‘Summer of Discontent’ looms.
Rob Merrick reports.
Joe Middleton20 June 2022 15:12
This is why the rail strikes are really happening
For the first time in decades, industrial action is being taken on a national and sustained scale, writes Sean O’Grady. The government is also becoming aggressive – it is all going to get very, very ugly.
Read Sean’s full piece here:
Matt Mathers20 June 2022 14:33
Downing Street warns against pay rises
Downing Street has urged businesses to “take heed” of soaring inflation and to consider pay restraint.
Widespread strikes for higher pay loom as workers in several industries consider whether to follow rail workers in mass walkouts as the cost of living crisis shrinks wages in real terms.
But ministers and the Bank of England have warned that rising wages would push inflation even higher.
Speaking just now, the prime minister’s official spokesman said: “There is a global challenge we are seeing, particularly around inflation at the moment, and we need as a country to avoid doing anything that would stoke inflationary pressures further.
He said there were several factors that could stoke inflation. When pressed on pay, he said: “Certainly pay rises could be one of those areas that could be of detriment.”
The Bank of England and the Treasury have warned of a wage-price spiral, such as occured in the mid-1970s, whereby workers ask for higher wages in response to rising prices, in turn pushing prices higher and leading workers to demand higher wages.
Liam James20 June 2022 13:35
Government declines role in last minute talks to avoid strikes
The government will not take part in Monday’s last minute talks to avert the rail strikes, Downing Street said.
Negotiations between the RMT union and rail operators continue with only six hours to go before the first services are stopped due to walkouts.
Union leaders and the Labour party have called on the government to intervene in the talks but ministers have said it was not their place to work towards a resolution.
Speaking just now, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “Talks are continuing today but the government won’t be taking part in them.
“You’ve heard from train operators themselves who have said that it isn’t the government’s place to be at the table and it wouldn’t be helpful to the ongoing discussions to insert the government into the negotiating process at this stage.”
Liam James20 June 2022 13:13
Rail staff have ‘grit’ to see through strikes, says union boss
Rail workers have the “grit and determination” to see through the upcoming strikes, a transport union boss said.
John Leach, assistant general secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), said workers were prepared for a “war of attrition” in pay negotiations with ministers.
He said: “The men and women in my union who keep Britain moving across the entire railway network are some of the most determined, professional, dedicated people you’ll ever meet.
“They kept this country moving through the pandemic, they keep the railways moving every single day and it’s that kind of grit and determination that’s going to mean that they will stick with this negotiation and justice for themselves in that regard, right through to the end.
“That’s why we’re so clear about this. We didn’t want to be in this situation – that has to be said – but we are determined to see this through.”
Liam James20 June 2022 12:49
Disabled passenger forced to drag himself up station steps after train cancelled
A wheelchair user has described the moment he was forced to drag himself and his chair up a set of station steps using his arms, after he says staff refused to help him.
My colleague Lucy Thackray reports:
Matt Mathers20 June 2022 11:57
A union boss has accused the chancellor of "hypocrisy" over his calls for public sector workers to "tighten their belts" amid the cost of living crisis.
Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services Union, said the chancellor spokes to Sky News earlier.
More comments from Mr Serwotka below:
Matt Mathers20 June 2022 11:41
Barristers vote to go on strike in row over legal aid funding amid court backlog
Barristers have voted to go on strike in a row over legal aid funding.
The Criminal Bar Association (CBA), which represents barristers in England and Wales, said several days of court walkouts will begin from next week.
My colleague Thomas Kingsley will have more on this story as it comes in:
Matt Mathers20 June 2022 11:25
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