Rail strikes

Contingency plans are being drawn up to try and keep passenger and freight trains running in the event of industrial action after unions warned of ...

That is what government plans will mean for the railways if RMT and other transport unions don't mount a comprehensive defence of the industry." A national rail strike will bring the country to a standstill, but our members' livelihoods and passenger safety are our priorities." We want a fair deal for staff, passengers and taxpayers so money isn't taken away from other essential public services like the NHS. "Train operating companies have praised our members for being key workers during the pandemic but have refused to keep staff pay in line with inflation and soaring living costs. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: "Railway workers have had to contend with pay freezes, the prospect of losing their jobs and repeated attacks on their terms and conditions. The vote, which is due to close on Tuesday, includes staff on Network Rail and 15 train operating companies, with the RMT saying the action is being taken over pay, compulsory redundancies and safety concerns.

Union bosses are planning to unleash hell for railways as the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) union ballots for strike action - potentially ...

Fears are mounting of a repeat of the 1978 'Winter of Discontent' in which a slew of strikes led to squalid living conditions across Britain Union bosses are planning to unleash hell for railways as the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) union ballots for strike action Union bosses are planning to unleash hell for railways as the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) union ballots for strike action at train operators and Network Rail.

THE National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) are deciding whether to take strike action.Disagreements over pay offers could bring.

- South Western Railway - South Eastern Railway - Great Western Railway

Fears of yet more supply issues and empty supermarket shelves have been raised after rail unions warned of "potentially the biggest rail strike in modern ...

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A transport union is set to ballot rail staff across the UK in what could lead to “potentially the biggest rail strike in modern history”.

One option is times of the day when only freight services operate.” A spokesperson for the Department for Transport said: “With passenger numbers down and our railways on life support, we need to act to make them fit for the future. “A national rail strike will bring the country to a standstill, but our members’ livelihoods and passenger safety are our priorities.” “That is what government plans will mean for the railways if RMT and other transport unions don’t mount a comprehensive defence of the industry.” RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “Railway workers have had to contend with pay freezes, the prospect of losing their jobs and repeated attacks on their terms and conditions. A senior rail source is quoted by the paper as saying: “We want to keep people and goods moving but there is no doubt we face serious challenges.

Interview: Republican rail union boss Mick Lynch defends targeting Platinum Jubilee.

People who feel resentful about that, if they had unions as strong as this one, and as resilient and as determined, they might have got a better deal out of the last 20 years. They had very secure employment, most people on that estate would have been in a trade union.” Officials are preparing to bring track and trains under a new public body — Great British Railways — which will have closer oversight of the private companies that operate the railway. "We apologise for the disruption, I don’t want to disrupt anyone’s lives. It’s not a bailout, it’s not a failing industry,” Lynch says, admitting that he is yet to lock horns with Shapps in person. In his eyes no decent trade union would accept thousands of job losses, multiple year pay freezes and “severe attacks" on working conditions. Tube drivers can take home £70,000-£80,000 when overtime and benefits are taken into account - much more than the national average wage of £31,772. The plans have rattled Whitehall and sparked fears of a catastrophic impact on fragile supply chains. Yet since the 1990s passenger numbers have risen, hitting a record 1.8bn journeys the year before the pandemic. Rail passengers across the country are already bracing for the “biggest strike in modern history” over job cuts and pay freezes. Lynch says he has “no doubt” more workers will vote for the strikes than against them, assuming no last-minute peace deal. Yet Lynch is unphased by the deluge of criticism.

Grant Shapps said ministers are looking at drawing up laws which would make industrial action illegal unless a certain number of staff work.

Another union, the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA), has also warned of a “summer of discontent” with similar action on the way unless pay disputes are resolved. He also accused unions of going straight to industrial action rather than using it as a last resort, adding that railways were already on “financial life support” because of the pandemic. Mr Shapps told the newspaper that the government hopes the unions “will wake up and smell the coffee” and suggested that strikes could put more people off rail travel.

The transport secretary has told rail unions that threatened strike action risks “fatally damaging the railways” and will deliver a “massive blow to the ...

A SUMMER of rail misery was feared last night with ministers drawing up a list of 30 showpiece events facing major disruption.Sports fans have been pu.

RMT boss Mick Lynch warned that if there was no resolution the rail network would come to a “grinding halt”. The dispute is over pay, redundancies and a call for a guarantee of “no detrimental changes to working practices”. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps last night said the rail network has been on life support for the past two years — with the union leadership planning to give it a “heart attack”.

THE National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) are deciding whether to take strike action.Disagreements over pay offers could bring.

- South Western Railway - South Eastern Railway - Great Western Railway

A SUMMER of rail misery was feared last night with ministers drawing up a list of 30 showpiece events facing major disruption.Sports fans have been pu.

RMT boss Mick Lynch warned that if there was no resolution the rail network would come to a “grinding halt”. The dispute is over pay, redundancies and a call for a guarantee of “no detrimental changes to working practices”. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps last night said the rail network has been on life support for the past two years — with the union leadership planning to give it a “heart attack”.

A SUMMER of rail misery was feared last night with ministers drawing up a list of 30 showpiece events facing major disruption.Sports fans have been pu.

RMT boss Mick Lynch warned that if there was no resolution the rail network would come to a “grinding halt”. The dispute is over pay, redundancies and a call for a guarantee of “no detrimental changes to working practices”. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps last night said the rail network has been on life support for the past two years — with the union leadership planning to give it a “heart attack”.

Grant Shapps said ministers are looking at drawing up laws which would make industrial action illegal unless a certain number of staff work.

The union has also announced it intends to ballot members in Scotland for strike action, following what it describes as a “derisory” 2.2% pay offer by ScotRail and proposed timetable changes which it branded a “kick in the teeth” to workers. Referring to a pledge in the Conservative manifesto for minimum services during strikes, he said: “We had a pledge in there about minimum service levels. he Government is considering plans for a minimum staffing requirement during rail strikes as the threat of a major industrial action looms.

Grant Shapps said ministers are looking at drawing up laws which would make industrial action illegal unless a certain number of staff work.

Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told the Sunday Telegraph that ministers are looking at drawing up laws which would make industrial action illegal unless a certain number of staff are working. The Government is considering plans for a minimum staffing requirement during rail strikes as the threat of a major industrial action looms.

The plans have been drawn up as unions threaten to stage 'potentially the biggest rail strike in modern history'

If they really got to that point then minimum service levels would be a way to work towards protecting those freight routes and those sorts of things.” It comes as unions have warned of staging “potentially the biggest rail strike in modern history”. He also accused unions of going straight to industrial action rather than using it as a last resort, adding that railways were already on “financial life support” because of the pandemic. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told the Sunday Telegraph that ministers are looking at drawing up laws which would make industrial action illegal unless a certain number of staff are working.

National Rail has warned of large crowds on trains out of the capital following celebrations on the night of Saturday, 4 June.

i understands that the Home Office does not expect the weekend to be any busier than any previous bank holidays at airports. Flight prices have shot up for every day on the bank holiday. Spain is the destination of choice, taking up 12.09 per million of all searches with second-place Italy coming in at 5.37 million followed by Turkey at 4.44 million, according to travel data experts Mabrian. Revellers hoping to enjoy the festivities in the capital may also struggle to access London by rail due to planned engineering works. To avoid getting stuck in long queues, motorists should plan their journeys ahead of time.” Check in desks and departure lounges at all UK airports are expected to be busy on the bank holiday as well as on the weekend prior, as travellers take advantage of the possibility of booking a nine day getaway with only three days spent off work.

The plans have been drawn up as unions threaten to stage 'potentially the biggest rail strike in modern history'

If they really got to that point then minimum service levels would be a way to work towards protecting those freight routes and those sorts of things.” It comes as unions have warned of staging “potentially the biggest rail strike in modern history”. He also accused unions of going straight to industrial action rather than using it as a last resort, adding that railways were already on “financial life support” because of the pandemic. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told the Sunday Telegraph that ministers are looking at drawing up laws which would make industrial action illegal unless a certain number of staff are working.

A new ballot of 40,000 Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) union members will close on Tuesday, with workers threatening a 12-hour strike over plans to ...

they will do enormous damage to their members’ jobs. A government source told The Telegraph: “The unions have got to tread carefully. The government is drawing up plans to curb the disruption from future rail strikes as the UK’s largest transport union threatens more industrial action.

Grant Shapps said ministers are looking at drawing up laws which would make industrial action illegal unless a certain number of staff work.

The union has also announced it intends to ballot members in Scotland for strike action, following what it describes as a “derisory” 2.2% pay offer by ScotRail and proposed timetable changes which it branded a “kick in the teeth” to workers. He also accused unions of going straight to industrial action rather than using it as a last resort, adding that railways were already on “financial life support” because of the pandemic. rant Shapps is considering plans for a minimum staffing requirement during rail strikes as the threat of a major industrial action looms.

RMT says it will mount 'fierce resistance' to any government attempt to reduce right to industrial action.

Rail leaders have warned that the world's largest arts festival could be devastated and the Scottish capital left like a “ghost town” if rail strikes go ...

With no trains running Edinburgh would be a ghost town. “The festival is worth hundreds of millions of pounds to the economy and attracts tourist from all over the world. The RMT union intends to ballot members in Scotland for strike action, following what it describes as a “derisory” 2.2% pay offer by ScotRail and proposed timetable changes which it branded a “kick in the teeth” to workers.