The leader of a train workers union stated that he is “not the Grinch” ahead of upcoming strikes leading up to Christmas and following the New Year.
Mick Lynch, general secretary of the RMT Union, stated that the recent walkouts will demonstrate “how vital our people are to the operation of this country.”
During the holiday season, passengers should anticipate significant delays.
The strikes will take place during four 48-hour intervals on December 13-14, December 16-17, January 3-4, and January 6-7.
It is anticipated that there may be disruptions in the days surrounding the strikes due to trains not being in the correct locations.
People traveling to witness comedian Peter Kay’s homecoming shows in London and Birmingham on December 16 and 17 and singer Paolo Nutini’s concerts in Glasgow on December 13, 14, and 16 will be affected by the walkouts.
The strikes will also impact hospitality businesses, as they occur during the busiest week of the year for the bar industry.
“Customers will cancel reservations and stay at home, while a lack of transit choices will worsen staffing shortages,” warned Emma McClarkin, the head of the British Beer and Pub Association.
Michael Kill, the head of the Night Time Industries Association, which represents pubs and nightclubs, described the disruption as “catastrophic” for companies at a time when many were counting on a prosperous holiday season to carry them until the beginning of 2023.
As inflation reaches a 40-year high and disposable income of consumers reaches an all-time low, our business is already enduring severe cost increases. Combined with rail strike action, it seems like Christmas 2021 [when the nation experienced epidemic restrictions] all over again “he stated.
The RMT Union is considering action after workers at Network Rail, which maintains Britain’s railroads, and 14 train firms voted last week in a poll.
Mr. Lynch stated that the recent strikes will “send a clear message that we demand a fair settlement on job security, compensation, and working conditions.”
“I’m not the Grinch,” he replied, alluding to the figure from the children’s book who attempts to ruin Christmas. “As a union official, I am motivated to reach an agreement.”
Since June, the RMT union, which represents guards and signaling staff, has held eight days of strikes that have caused severe inconvenience.
Its members, like those of other rail unions, seek wage increases commensurate with the rising cost of living. The rate of price increase, or inflation, reached 11.1% last month.
After the pandemic tore a hole in the train industry’s finances, cost-cutting measures are imperative, and reforms are necessary to modernize the railway and make wage increases possible, according to industry leaders.
We can envision a deal.
The RMT declared its recent strike dates after stating that Network Rail’s recent pay offer was inadequate.
The Rail Delivery Group, which represents railway operators, stated that “serious progress” had been made toward a “viable deal outline” before the breakdown of negotiations.
Wednesday, the company’s representative requested that the union return to the negotiation table for the benefit of holiday travelers and shoppers.
The Department of Transport has criticized the unions involved in the strikes, claiming that they “threaten the very future of the entire business.”
A spokeswoman stated on Tuesday, “We urge union leaders to negotiate with businesses and reach an agreement that is fair for passengers, taxpayers, and workers alike.”
Rail Minister Huw Merriman estimated earlier this month that strike action had cost the railways almost half a billion pounds so far this year.
