MICK LYNCH issued a defiant message from the RMT picket line at Euston Station in central London yesterday morning, saying: ‘I’ve just heard Huw Merriman (Tory MP) talking about a very generous offer.
‘It’s not generous, it’s way below inflation and it’s predicated on a set of changes – cuts to the maintenance schedule task by 50% and conditions changes on our members in Network Rail that are entirely unacceptable.
‘It’s also predicated on agreeing to shutting every booking office in Britain and bringing in Driver Only Operation that they know we will never accept.
‘The art of negotiation is getting to a position where both sides can accept a deal and the government, the DfT and I think all the way up to No 10 have put conditions on the train operating companies they know will blow up any chance of a deal.’
On the picket lines strikers spoke out in favour of the TUC calling a general strike.
Euston RMT Health and Safety Rep Frank Johnston told News Line: ‘I’m here to protect my colleagues on the picket line to make sure they are safe.
‘The dispute is ongoing. We are no longer struggling with the rail industry as a whole, it’s mostly the government who are not budging.
‘They keep using the pandemic as one of the reasons they can’t afford pay rises.
‘The main object of our struggle is the defence of terms and conditions. It is not just about the pay rise.
‘We’ve got teachers, nurses, firefighters, Border Force staff and the Royal Mail all coming out on strikes.
‘A general strike is not something we can leave out – the government is holding us back.’
On the RMT picket line at Waterloo Station, RMT branch secretary B J Alosanya said: ‘Where we see most of the top unions involved in actions over their members’ pay and conditions, the TUC have not stepped up. We are not really seeing that at all.
‘With a large proportion of the entire workforce of the country going out on strike at Christmas, the government should think about what they are doing.
‘I think the national union is capable of leading us through, but it would be more effective with a general strike.
‘The unions want to talk but the government doesn’t, so we have four days of strike action this week.’
