29 November 2022
RMT Press Office:
Rail Union RMT, criticised the government for a lack of urgency in dealing with national rail dispute, following a meeting with the Transport Secretary, Mark Harper last week.
General Secretary Mick Lynch is due to meet the Rail Minister Huw Merriman and rail employer representatives this coming Friday.
However, RMT have said the government's "lack of urgency" is "astonishing," given the strike action scheduled to start in two weeks' time.
In a letter to business groups and the hospitality industry, impacted by the strike, Mick Lynch writes:
"I have today received a letter from him [Mark Harper] offering a joint meeting with the Rail Minister, the employers and RMT this Friday. Whilst I have accepted the offer this lack of urgency from the government is astonishing. By this Friday more than a week will have passed since I met the Secretary of State without an offer being put on the table. Time is running out.
"We understand the impact that these rail strikes are having on your sector at this time of year, yet while you face disruption to your business at this critical time, the private rail businesses we are in dispute with will not lose a penny. Despite the rail companies being the employers of the staff taking strike action, the government has decided to protect these private rail businesses from being liable for any loss of revenue arising from the strikes. This also ensures that the rail companies can continue to make profits, despite the strike action.
"The government’s actions also mean that the train operating companies have no incentive to settle the dispute. On the basis of answers given in Parliament by the government, we calculate that by the end of the next round of strikes the government will have bailed out the train companies to the tune of £318 million to cover the cost of the strikes.
"To be clear, as a result of this indemnification, if these strikes go ahead, the rail companies will continue to make profits while you will lose money.
"As it is the government which is clearly prolonging this dispute with their taxpayer funded bailout for the private train companies you would clearly be justified in asking what similar steps it will be taking to compensate your businesses."
Mr Lynch goes on to point out that RMT has come to a negotiated settlement with the Scottish and Welsh devolved governments on pay and conditions on the railways but not Westminster.
END
| Confederation of British Industry |
| Institute of Directors |
| UKHospitality |
| British Beer and Pub Association |
| British Retail Consortium |
| British Chambers of Commerce |
| Federation of Small Businesses |
| Society of London Theatre & UK Theatre |
| Night Time Industries Association |
| Central District Alliance |
| Heart of London Business Alliance |
| Soho Estates |
| London HQ |
| New West End Company |
| Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA) |
| Soho Business Alliance |
| Heart of London Business Alliance |
| Hippodrome Casino |
| BusinessLDN |
| Fuller Smith & Turner PLC |
| Stonegate Group |
| Inception Group |
| Revolution Bars Group |
| Urban Pubs & Bars |
| ETM Group |
| Drake & Morgan |
| City Pub Company |
| Young and Co.’s Brewery PLC |
| Tourism Alliance |
Indemnification statistics if the next phase of strike action goes ahead.
|
|
Value of government indemnification for 16 days of strike action and associated disruption |
|
Chiltern |
£9,959,829 |
|
Cross Country |
£23,580,107 |
|
East Anglia |
£27,879,008 |
|
East Midlands |
£16,855,095 |
|
Essex Thameside (c2c) |
£7,789,097 |
|
Great Western |
£42,563,371 |
|
South Western |
£44,648,976 |
|
Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern (GTR) |
£66,952,182 |
|
TransPennine Express |
£11,109,040 |
|
West Coast |
£51,501,679 |
|
West Midlands |
£16,003,827 |
|
TOTAL |
£318,842,211 |
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