International transport unions on Friday urged London to negotiate a swift end to Britain’s biggest rail strike in over 30 years, on the eve of the latest strike.
More than 100 unions have written an open letter to Britain’s Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, urging him to help settle the bitter wage dispute as rising inflation sparks growing unrest in the industry.
The letter, coordinated by the International Transport Workers’ Federation, comes a day before the third of three rail strikes this week.
“We are writing to urge you to meet with transport unions to discuss railway workers’ concerns and allow unions to reach a negotiated settlement of disputes with railway employers,” the letter reads.
And it called on the government to “defend the jobs, wages, working conditions and pensions of rail workers.”
Shapps has so far refused to take part in negotiations, arguing they should be between workers’ unions, Network Rail and private rail companies.
The letter was signed by unions from around the world, including Asia, Europe, South America and the Middle East.
“We are shocked that … the UK Government is going to cut rail services and scrap infrastructure projects at exactly the time when it should be investing, expanding and boosting public transport, particularly rail, to help reduce global emissions from the contribute traffic. ‘ the letter continued.
“We call on you to do the right thing by these workers and their communities and urge you to meet with transport unions urgently.”
Railway union RMT insists strikes are necessary as wages have failed to keep pace with UK inflation, which has hit a 40-year high and is set to rise.
The RMT also accuses Shapps of “destroying” the negotiations by not allowing Network Rail to withdraw a letter threatening to fire 2,900 RMT members.
However, Shapps has called it “a total lie”.
The railway staff went on strike on Tuesday and Thursday – and should also do so on Saturday due to the lack of agreement.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Transport denied that the government had tried to prevent an agreement.
“It is completely wrong to say that the government is blocking the negotiations,” the spokesman said.
“We have said from the start that we urge unions and industry to come to an agreement that is fair to rail workers, passengers and taxpayers.”
Separately, British Airways workers at London’s Heathrow Airport voted Thursday to strike over pay.
Members of unions GMB and Unite overwhelmingly backed measures and warned of a “summer of strikes” as the country’s cost-of-living crisis worsens.
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