December train strikes: Extra walkouts planned over Christmas
News / Tue 6th Dec 2022 at 08:35am
EXTRA rail strikes have been scheduled over the festive period, the RMT union says, including Christmas Eve.
Staff at Network Rail comprising about half the workers involved in a pay dispute are expected to walk out from 6pm on 24 December until 27 December.
A new offer was made by the company on Sunday but the union is urging members to reject it.
Network Rail has accused the RMT of using passengers and workers as “pawns in a fight with the government”.
The new strike dates, which are likely to affect many people travelling for Christmas, are in addition to walkouts by rail workers which have already been announced and begin next week.
Tim Shoveller, Network Rail’s chief negotiator, said the RMT “are playing fast and loose with people’s Christmas plans and the new strike dates announced deliberately target vital engineering work designed to improve the railway”.
The RMT represents staff at Network Rail, who maintain the railways and include signallers and maintenance workers. It also represents workers at 14 train operating companies involved in strike action.
The union is involved in two sets of talks in a long-running dispute over pay, jobs and working conditions
As well as the strikes on 24-27 December, industrial action at 14 train companies across four 48-hour periods will take place on:
13-14 December
16-17 December
3-4 January
6-7 January
Click below for more details.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-63867226
David Forman
2022-12-06 09:18:02
Under the plans there are to be 1850 rail maintenance jobs axed. There are cuts to the lookout and other safety roles when working on the tracks, thus putting workers at greater risk. Sunday is to be made a normal working day, so no overtime as at present. Ticket office staff are to be removed and 'repurposed' and platform staff cut all to save money which the government blew on Test and Trace, PPE contracts and the Liz Truss fiasco. Despite alleged assurances of no compulsory redundancies, experienced trade unionists know that without sufficient opportunities for redeployment a voluntary scheme eventually becomes a compulsory one. A defeat for the rail workers wil embolden employers to attack other workers' pay & conditions.
Lostinthemiddle
2022-12-06 10:03:52
But David, the problem is, if all the money that national rail has is spent on wage increases then in order to run a profitable business, there will inevitably be more redundancies or cut backs on budgets to pay for it. Will all get it, people need pay rises and job security, but there’s a limit before everyone loses their jobs. Equally strike action only affects the users not the people negotiating with. To get a better deal the unions need to grow up and get round the table and stop this slagging match. How will you get a better deal from people you constantly abuse, why should they? As for spending on govt contacts, yep, no doubt money was wasted. But it’s gone and included in overall debt and sadly has nothing to do with this issue. Businesses have to adapt, have to plan for the future, be profitable and plan spend. It’s just the world we live
Mark Stallman
2022-12-06 11:25:32
viva la revolution! This is the first step to regain control following brexit. We all need to stand together
Theman
2022-12-06 13:03:07
We are down, and are enemies are attacking. Sooner or later the penny will drop.
Seamus
2022-12-06 17:08:08
A 4% payrise isn't a lot of money if your getting a 100% pay cut in 2024.
Fiona
2022-12-06 19:36:57
Fake news, this is NOT a rail strike! This is maintenance staff.
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