Prepare strike June 2022: PM ‘whipping up divisions’ forward of rail disruptions, Khan says

Business minister Paul Scully earlier pleaded with rail staff planning to strike subsequent week to “get round the table” for negotiations.

NHS sufferers in England are being urged to plan forward for appointments as rail strikes are set to trigger journey chaos subsequent week.

Speaking forward of the strikes, the NHS’s high physician reminded people who “the NHS remains open” as he known as on individuals to hunt care when wanted.

Millions of persons are seen and handled within the NHS each week.

The strikes may have a specific impression on hospitals in London, a lot of which have restricted parking capability for these contemplating driving to appointments as a substitute.

As nicely as affecting affected person appointments, the strikes may hamper NHS workers commutes.

Labour’s Emily Thornberry, shadow legal professional basic, stated “any strike is a failure” as rail staff put together for mass industrial motion subsequent week.

Ms Thornberry stated it was the accountability of presidency to barter with rail bosses and take heed to their considerations.

After members of the RMT rail union voted 8:1 in favour of strike motion over jobs, pay and situations, their union has known as nationwide rail strikes for 3 dates in late June.

Union members at Network Rail and 13 practice operators will stage 24-hour walkouts on 21, 23 and 25 June.

What may the impact be? And are different disputes on the horizon?

Simon Calder,The Independent’s Travel Correspondent, brings you the important thing questions and solutions:

More railway staff are to be balloted for strikes in escalating disputes over pay and jobs, growing the specter of a summer time of journey chaos.

The Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) served discover to poll tons of of staff at Southeastern, saying it was demanding a assure of no obligatory redundancies, no unagreed modifications to phrases and situations, and a pay enhance which displays the rising value of residing.

The poll opens on 23 June and closes on 11 July, so motion may begin from 25 July.

TSSA basic secretary, Manuel Cortes, stated: “Our members at Southeastern are seeking basic fair treatment in the teeth of a crippling cost-of-living crisis.

“Rail workers were hailed as heroes in the pandemic and now they deserve a real terms pay rise which keeps pace with inflation, rather than shouldering the burden of the Tories’ economic meltdown.

“Our demands are simple – pay which reflects the times we live in, a deal which delivers job security, and no race to the bottom on terms and conditions.”

A Department for Transport spokesperson stated: “The facts are clear: The median pay of rail workers in is £44,000, which is around 70 per cent above the national average. Railway workers have seen above average salary increases over the last decade.

“The industry is offering daily talks to resolve the strikes. We continue to encourage the unions to take them up on that offer and negotiate a fair deal for workers.”

Next week’s rail strikes are “designed to inflict damage at the worst possible time”, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps stated.

The Cabinet minister described the economic motion as an try to “derail reforms that are critical”.

The disputes have flared over pay, jobs and situations.

In a speech at a practice depot in north London, Mr Shapps stated: “These strikes are not only a bid to derail reforms that are critical to the network’s future, and designed to inflict damage at the worst possible time, they are also an incredible act of self-harm by the union leadership.

“Make no mistake, unlike the past 25 years, when rising passenger demand year after year was taken for granted by the industry, today the railway is in a fight.

“It’s not only competing against other forms of public and private transport. It’s in a battle with Zoom, Teams and remote working.

“In case the unions haven’t noticed, the world has changed.”

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The summer time getaway is nicely below method, however for travellers the vary of potential issues appears to be multiplying – with wholesale flights cancellations, a threatened rail strike throughout Britain and persevering with points with post-Brexit pink tape.

Simon Calder has tackled 11 urgent journey questions in his newest Ask Me Anything.

Families of pupils sitting GCSE and A-level exams subsequent week have been suggested to make different preparations for getting to high school through the rail strikes.

On 21 June, pupils sitting GCSE historical past or dance with examination board AQA could also be impacted by the strikes, whereas on Thursday these sitting GCSE physics papers could possibly be affected.

A-level pupils finding out German, spiritual research or maths with this board could possibly be impacted by strike motion on Tuesday, 21 whereas pupils sitting papers in A-level chemistry may expertise disruptions to their journey to high school on Thursday, 23 June.

In whole, 17 GCSE and 22 A-level papers could possibly be impacted by the strike motion.

Headteachers have stated households ought to look into different preparations for getting their kids to high school to sit down papers on time.

Julie McCulloch, coverage director on the Association of School and College Leaders, stated: “We are concerned about the potential impact on exam students of the industrial action affecting train services planned in June.

“The majority of students live local to schools and colleges and tend to take buses rather than trains so we are hopeful that the impact will be minimal,” she added.

“However, it is important that families are conscious of the industrial action and make alternative arrangements where students are reliant on train services.

“We would urge anybody who is concerned about their ability to attend an exam to talk to their school or college at the earliest opportunity to discuss the options that are available.”

Strike action is likely to disrupt rail services in the East Midlands significantly next week, operators have said.

Local and mainline services in the East Midlands will be affected.

East Midlands Railway (EMR) said the number of services would be significantly reduced. It said trains would run between 7.30am and 6.30pm only, with one per hour between Nottingham and London.

It said its regional services also would be limited to one train per hour between Derby and Matlock, Derby and Nottingham, Leicester and Nottingham, and Nottingham and Sheffield.

Will Rogers, managing director for EMR said: “We are extraordinarily dissatisfied the RMT have determined to strike.

“There will be changes to our normal timetable and some parts of our network will have no train services on strike days and other lines will have a reduced level of service.”

In a tough accident, after two summers cancelled because of Covid-19, Glastonbury Festival falls the identical week as an intense collection of UK-wide practice strikes.

It comes after members of the RMT rail union voted 8:1 in favour of strike motion over jobs, pay and situations.

Their union has known as nationwide rail strikes for 3 dates subsequent week: union members at Network Rail and 13 particular person practice operators will stage 24-hour walkouts on 21, 23 and 25 June.

The industrial motion is more likely to have an effect on providers instantly earlier than and after the strike dates, in addition to the intervening Wednesday and Friday.

National Rail, in addition to a lot of practice operators, have instructed travellers to keep away from utilizing the rail community the place attainable throughout subsequent week.

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