Prepare strike timetable newest: ‘This is no way to behave,’ transport secretary Grant Shapps tells unions

Grant Shapps additionally informed Sky News the federal government needed “modernisation” on the railways in return for pay.

Presenter Sophy Ridge requested him if that was “code” for job cuts.

Grant Shapps has warned the RMT union that this week’s rail strikes can be “disastrous” for the trade.

The journey secretary accused union boss Mick Lynch of “gunning” for industrial motion that can inconvenience thousands and thousands of individuals via the nation.

“It is a huge mistake. The unions have been gunning for this strike throughout. This strike is completely unnecessary,” he informed Sky News’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme.

“It is going to inconvenience millions of people – students doing their GCSEs and A-levels, people trying to get to hospitals to try get operations that have been postponed, perhaps, during coronavirus.

“It is disastrous. It is no way to behave on the railway. There is no advantage to this. I know Mick Lynch says he is ‘nostalgic for union power’ but this is no way to behave.”

Sir Keir Starmer has accused Boris Johnson and the transport secretary Grant Shapps of “stoking divisions” over nationwide rail strikes set to happen this week.

The Labour chief will accuse the federal government of “pouring petrol on the fire” over its dealing with of the dispute with unions, as an alternative of trying to take the warmth out of the row.

Here is a reminder of what rail employees are combating for.

Union boss Mick Lynch mentioned 1000’s of jobs have been being lower throughout the rail networks and employees have been dealing with below-inflation pay rises.

“In the face of this massive attack on our people the RMT cannot be passive,” he mentioned.

Other points at stake are outlined right here:

London’s mayor has accused the federal government of “inciting” one among subsequent week’s rail strikes, as extra employees are set to be balloted for industrial motion in rising disputes over pay and jobs.

A Rail Delivery Group, an trade membership physique, as criticised the strike motion confirmed immediately.

A spokesperson mentioned: “No one wins in the event of a strike. The action next week will affect the millions of people who use the train each day, including key workers, students with exams, those who cannot work from home, holidaymakers and people attending important business and leisure events.”

They added: “Working with Network Rail, our plan is to keep as many services running as possible, but significant disruption will be inevitable and some parts of the network will not have a service, so passengers should plan their journeys carefully and check their train times.”

Frances O’Grady, basic secretary of the Trades Union Congress has been met with applause and cheers as she gave a speech to the group in Parliament Square.

She mentioned: “I have seen the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has threatened rail workers that they will strike themselves out of a job.

“Well you are wrong Mr Shapps: if you keep stirring, come the next election, you will be out of a job.”

Next week’s rail strikes might devastate the UK’s post-Covid restoration and price key industries over a billion kilos, the federal government has been informed.

Kate Nicholls, chief govt of trade group UK Hospitality, warned tourism and leisure companies have been already fragile after pandemic lockdowns and would take a “big hit”.

“At the best, we think it’s going to take a hit to hospitality revenues of over half a billion pounds,” she informed Times Radio.

“But that presupposes that many people will travel on those shoulder days when the trains and the Tubes will still be disrupted – it could be more significant than that.

“And if you look across the whole tourism, and leisure and theatre industries as a whole, you are definitely looking at an economic hit of over a billion pounds.”

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

Simon Calder has all the small print, together with after they begin and what traces they’re on account of have an effect on:

Network Rail has responded to information of the strike affirmation.

“Yet again the RMT union are dismissing talks before we’ve even finished, with more planned for tomorrow,” a spokesperson mentioned on Saturday.

“We’re serious about trying to find a solution and work out a compromise that gives our people a decent pay rise, but it has to be affordable for taxpayers and farepayers.

“Union demands have so far been unobtainable, and the union seems completely focussed on ‘take’, with very little ‘give’.

“It makes negotiating extremely challenging, but we will continue to try and find a way through to try and avert this needless and damaging strike.”