RMT announces more rail strikes
Scheduled to take place over 24 hours from Wednesday 27 July, the latest strike comes as RMT rejected a “paltry” offer from Network Rail earlier this week, leaving trade bodies across the sector concerned regarding safety and post-pandemic recovery.
Night-Time Industries Association (NTIA) CEO Michael Kill said: “Limited Rail services across the UK will leave many stranded at night, compromising safety with very few alternative transport services available.
“The transport infrastructure within the night-time economy is vitally important to our recovery post pandemic, particularly as we move into peak summer season for festival and events, and a critical time for tourism, who rely heavily on public transport.”
Drastic changes
However, RMT general secretary Mick Lynch stated the public needed to understand the inconvenience caused by the strikes was due to "the Government's shackling of Network Rail and train operating companies”.
He added: "The offer from Network Rail represents real terms pay cuts for our members and the paltry sum is conditional on RMT members agreeing to drastic changes in their working lives.
"We have made progress on compulsory redundancies, but Network Rail are still seeking to make our members poorer when we have won, in some cases, double what they are offering with other rail operators.
"The train operating companies remain stubborn and are refusing to make any new offer which deals with job security and pay.
Bounce back
"Strike action is the only course open to us to make both the rail industry and Government understand this dispute will continue for as long as it takes, until we get a negotiated settlement. We remain open for further talks."
This comes as last month saw the biggest network dispute in more than 30 years with strike action across 13 rail companies on Tuesday 21 June, Thursday 23 June and Saturday 25 June, causing some city pubs to see a 50% decline in sales and potential loss of £540m, according to the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA).
BBPA chief executive Emma McClarkin said: “As an industry we really are trying hard to bounce back after the pandemic, but we are faced time and time again with new hurdles from rising costs to labour shortages and now severe transport disruption.
“It is imperative to the health of our industry further strikes are avoided so customers and staff alike are able to travel with confidence and keep our pubs thriving.”
