Boris Johnson has advised commuters to “stay the course” in the face of “unnecessary annoyance” caused by train strikes.
The prime minister stated at a Cabinet meeting that reforms were required and seemed to imply that the public should brace for further inconveniences while employers and labor unions struggle to implement them.
The remarks were made at the beginning of a Cabinet meeting on the first day of the largest network-wide walkouts in three decades, leaving millions of people inconvenienced.
The RMT union is in conflict with rail management over money, jobs, and working conditions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has altered passenger behavior.
Mr. Johnson told Cabinet colleagues that a reform of the network was necessary as “colossal” investments in projects such as HS2 take shape, and his statements seemed to imply that commuters should brace themselves for additional annoyance as unions oppose the overhaul.
“We need the union barons to meet down with Network Rail and the railway operators and get on with it,” added the prime minister.
“I’m concerned that everyone and I say this to the entire nation, must be prepared to remain the course.
“These reforms, these improvements in the way we operate our railroads, are in the best interests of the traveling public, and they will help reduce expenses for farepayers across the nation.”
The remarks were made to cameras that were permitted to capture a portion of the Cabinet meeting, but neither Mr. Johnson nor any other minister took questions from the media.
Mr. Johnson stated that the walkout caused “much disruption and hardship throughout the nation” and was “so wrong and unwarranted.”
It was “making it more difficult for people to go to work, jeopardizing people’s appointments, and making it more challenging for children to take examinations – all sorts of needless annoyances.”
He stated that the government viewed trains as “essential” to achieving equality across the nation, but that without upgrading, financial pressure would increase fares, leading to the “disaster” of falling rail use.
This week, around 40,000 RMT union members at Network Rail and 13 train operators are striking on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
The union is requesting a 7 percent pay increase, which is less than the current rate of inflation but greater than the 2 percent increase, plus a possible 1 percent increase tied to efficiency savings, that they claim employers are proposing.
It accuses the government of exacerbating the conflict by removing billions in public grants for the railways and constraining the hands of publicly-owned track operator Network Rail and private train operating businesses.
Mick Lynch, general secretary of the RMT, told that future strike action was “inevitable” if the government and employers did not alter course, and he urged for coordinated action across trade unions to “rebalance the disparities in our society.”
Mr. Lynch stated, “My message to the traveling public is that we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.”
We do not wish to do so. We desire a resolution to this problem.”
Earlier, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told that the government intends to amend the rules to mitigate the impact of “militant” union action in the future, but that nothing could be done to “alter the reality” of this week’s disruptions.
Ministers seek to amend the rules to allow workers from other departments or agencies to step in for striking employees, as well as enact legislation mandating “minimum service standards” even during a strike.
However, the concept of addressing contingent workers has already been rejected as “impractical” by the recruiting industry’s leading trade association and the TUC.
Mr. Shapps continued to oppose calls for his involvement in the current dispute’s negotiations, despite acknowledging that the government was ultimately the “paymaster” determining the financing mandate for the railways.
Pat McFadden, Labour’s shadow chief secretary to the treasury, referred to the walkout as an “enormous annoyance to the public” and “perhaps the greater threat of continued industrial conflicts over the summer.”
He stated, “No one wishes to see this. We want this to be resolved as soon as possible with an agreement that permits the railways to function and the traveling public to get to work.
“We understand why people are demanding pay raises, but it is far preferable for these issues to be settled appropriately, through discussion.”
Although the party’s leadership has prohibited front-bench members from joining picket lines, several Labour MPs have joined striking workers on picket lines.
Among them was Nav Mishra, an opposition whip, who tweeted, “As a proud trade unionist, I stand with all workers on our train network who are taking strike action to fight for their jobs and keep passengers safe.”
Labour’s leader in the Scottish parliament, Anas Sarwar, posted images of himself on a picket line, expressing “solidarity” with striking workers and stating that the issue was “totally the government’s fault.”
Angela Rayner, the party’s deputy leader, stated on Twitter, “Workers have been left with no choice.” No one takes military strikes lightly.
“I will always defend their absolute right to do so for the sake of workplace justice.”
