Rail strikes: Huw Merriman praises ‘constructive’ meeting with unions January 9, 2023 A meeting between the biggest rail workers’ union, train operators and the government, aimed at resolving the bitter dispute over pay, jobs and conditions, has been described as “constructive”. Leaders of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) met employers and rail minister Huw Merriman following the latest industrial action, which crippled services last week. Merriman said: [...]
Sunak is right in taking on the unions, but anti-strike laws are no silver bullet January 9, 2023 Strike action doesn’t have to be very extensive to send British society into fits of frightening folk memories of the 1970s. People murmur knowingly about a winter of discontent coming back to haunt us from the past. Real connoisseurs will recall the Army being brought in, ageing Green Goddess fire engines wheeled out to cover [...]
RMT accuses train operators of profiteering as rail strikes drag on January 7, 2023 Train companies at the heart of the long-running rail dispute have made hundreds of millions of pounds in profits since the government put them on new contracts when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, a union claims. The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) said while rail workers have had their pay frozen in the same period, [...]
London’s congestion levels soar as train drivers’ strike wreaks havoc January 5, 2023 London’s congestion levels soared this morning as the train drivers’ strike forced millions of commuters to drive into the capital. Data published today by Tomtom shows that congestion levels were between 42 and 62 per cent earlier this morning, up from an average of between 30 to 50 per cent. “Today’s rail strike has yet [...]
Strikes: Sunak plans to let employers sue unions and sack staff, but in what sectors? January 5, 2023 Rishi Sunak may announce new strike legislation to enforce minimum service levels, which allow employers to sue their unions and sack workers. The revelation comes as another 48-hour strike by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) led to widespread disruption across the country on Tuesday and Wednesday. Today, services are being be [...]
The Super Strike: Which London train lines and buses have been affected by today’s walkouts? January 5, 2023 Rail passengers face a third consecutive day of travel disruption on Thursday because of a strike by train drivers – and once again it has seeped into the London transport network. Services are being be crippled by the walkout by members of Aslef at 15 rail companies in a long-running dispute over pay, with some [...]
Rail strikes push people to buy cars as disruption hits millions January 4, 2023 More drivers are looking to own a car as the ongoing rail strikes cause misery for millions of people, according to new data. Data published today by automotive marketplace Auto Trader shows that the percentage of people choosing to buy a car due to the unreliability of the public transport system has jumped from 36 [...]
RMT to resume rail strikes talks with government on Monday January 4, 2023 The RMT will resume talks over ongoing rail strikes with the government this Monday, according to union boss Mick Lynch. Lynch told GB News that government officials contacted the RMT earlier this week to “get a meeting in” early next week. The announcement comes as over 40,000 workers at Network Rail and 14 other train [...]
Rail strikes will cost industry £110m, Network Rail warns January 4, 2023 This week’s rail strikes will cost the industry around £110m, according to Network Rail calculations. A spokesperson for Network Rail told City A.M. that train operators will lose £20m for each day of RMT strikes whilst the train drivers’ walkout on Thursday will cost the industry around £30m. Rail unions RMT and Aslef are on [...]
Rail strikes: Half of all lines shut as Mick Lynch warns strikes could last well into summer January 4, 2023 Half of Britain’s railways are closed today with only a fifth of services running, as even London’s tube and overground network are affected by the industrial action. Train passengers are suffering another day of strike disruption as the new general secretary of the TUC called for an urgent meeting with the Prime Minister in a [...]