RMT pledges to fight Tory plans for ‘minimum service’ during strikes
The boss of the RMT transport union has hit out at government plans to pass legislation to ensure commuters to can get to work during strikes.
Responding to the proposed legislation, general secretary Mick Cash said: “It hasn’t taken long for the true colours of this new Tory government to emerge.
Read more: South Western rail strike set to run to end of December as peace process stalls
“Banning strikes and denying workers the basic human right to withdraw their labour has been the hallmark of hard right, authoritarian regimes throughout history.
“Instead of attacking rail workers fighting to defend safety and disabled access any responsible government would be tackling the scandal of private profiteering on Britain’s railways which has reduced services to chaos.
“RMT will fight any plans to deny out members their basic human rights.”
Yesterday the Evening Standard reported that transport secretary Grant Shapps had prepared a bill designed to uphold the “basic right” of commuters to get to work for Thursday’s Queen’s Speech.
The legislation will ensure a minimum level of service on modes of transport including trains and buses has to be maintained during strikes.
Shapps said the move would stop unions “holding to ransom” passengers during industrial action.
He added: “The new law will prevent London being brought to a standstill, with all the additional environmental damage done by people reverting to cars.”
A spokesman for RMT said: “The union will wait to see the details of the legislation on Thursday and then the executive will meet to discuss the next steps.
South Western Railway services remain on partial timetables as strike action entered its third week.
Although industrial action was paused last week on the day of the General Election, the strikes are set to continue until 2 January.
An RMT source told Morning Wire that there is “nothing happening other than the strikes continuing”.
Asked whether the rail operator South Western was still seeking to get back to the negotiating room, they added: “They aren’t interested.”
Read more: South Western rail services still hampered despite election halt
South Western serves on average 600,000 passenger journeys every day travelling to and from Waterloo, Britain’s busiest railway station. Trains run to regions such as Surrey and Hampshire, but even go as far as Exeter.
RMT’s demands centre around the role of the train guard, and whether they have control over operating carriage doors. The union said this is important to help keep passengers safe when boarding and alighting the train.