PRESS RELEASE : RMT Demands Government Stops Blocking Settlement

The press release issued by the RMT on 18 August 2022.

RMT has written to Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps to demand that the government ends its deliberate policy of prolonging rail disputes for political reasons.

The union insisted that by refusing to meet with RMT while dictating how the train companies conduct the negotiations through a ‘shameful and irresponsible use of taxpayers’ money’.

“Your government has made the decision to use taxpayer’s money to bailout private train companies from being liable for revenue lost because of industrial action on the condition the same companies comply with government instructions to hold down pay, cut thousands of safety critical rail jobs, introduce Driver Only Trains and close ticket offices across the network,” the letter said.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said that the union had calculated that, including the previous and forthcoming action, over £120 million of taxpayer’s money had been used to bail out private train companies to date.

“Using taxpayers’ money to satisfy the anti-union agenda of the Tory party and seek to break the trade unions is shameful and means the dispute will be prolonged indefinitely as the train companies don’t lose a penny as a result of the industrial action and therefore have no incentive to settle the disputes.

“Instead of waging an ideological war against rail workers millions of voters would rather that the government allow for a fair negotiated settlement,” he said.

To Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps

“I am writing to you as to the Secretary of State for Transport to express my concern at your continued insistence on prolonging the rail disputes for political reasons by refusing to meet the RMT while at the same time dictating how the train companies conduct the negotiations through a shameful and irresponsible use of taxpayers’ money.

Your government has made the decision to use taxpayer money to bailout private train companies from being liable for revenue lost because of industrial action[i] on the condition the same companies comply with government instructions to hold down pay, cut thousands of safety critical rail jobs, introduce Driver Only Trains and close ticket offices across the network.

RMT calculates that, including the previous and forthcoming action, over £120m of taxpayer’s money will have to be used to bail out private train companies to date.[ii]

What’s even more shocking is as the majority of the Train Operating Companies involved in the dispute are fully or partly foreign state owned, this bail out is worth over £100m to companies in full or part foreign state ownership.

Using taxpayers’ money to satisfy the anti-union agenda of the Tory party and seek to break the trade unions is shameful and also means the dispute will be prolonged indefinitely as the train companies don’t lose a penny as a result of the industrial action and therefore have no incentive to settle the disputes.

My union has met representatives of both the Scottish and Welsh governments and have had constructive discussions about the rail services they are responsible for that are not involved in this dispute, but in contrast your government refuses to engage.

I would urge you once again to allow for a fair negotiated settlement instead of waging ideological war against rail workers.”