Back new rail strikes, build for bigger action

Rail strike pickets and supporters in Bishop’s Stortford in early June

Around 20,000 rail workers will strike­­­­ in July as part of the national rail dispute after train operators refused to make a new pay offer. The privatised rail firms are emboldened and financially backed by the Tories—it’s one reason why they are so bullish about not giving in.

Now RMT union members working across 14 train operating companies will walk out on Thursday 20, Saturday 22 and Saturday 29 July.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said, “Our members have now voted three times to strike over the last 12 months—the most recent of which coincided with having the full details of the substandard offer from the rail operators. 

“They voted by nine to one to renew their strike mandate and RMT will continue its industrial campaign until we reach a negotiated settlement on pay, working conditions and job security.”

The latest pay offer from the bosses’ Rail Delivery Group, is a 5 percent pay uplift to cover 2022-23. That’s well below inflation.

Then, the union would also have to accept company-by-company talks to ram through a major restructuring of job roles and conditions before there was a pay rise for 2023-4.

The companies would run talks on different timetables so as to break up any national response and they would want changes such as a single super-flexible station grade, closed ticket offices, and to tear up present policies on shift patterns and sick pay.

Some union leaders might think the 5 percent would be acceptable if it weren’t for the link to an assault on conditions. But the 5 percent itself is rubbish and ought to be rejected.

The new strikes are welcome, but it’s clear that victory will require a much higher level of action.

The Tories will soon push their new anti-union laws through parliament. They will decree minimum services levels during strikes—enforced scabbing—with the threat of the sack for those who refuse and fines for unions who don’t comply. Rail workers will be early targets.

As part of the strike negotiations unions should extract a cast-iron pledge from the employers that they won’t use these laws in any circumstances.

The Scottish government has already accepted this. Why not rail bosses?

If any employer does use these laws they have to be met by mass defiance and non-compliance.

Strikes are just the ticket 

RMT members working as ticket inspectors on Arriva Rail London (London Overground) have begun voting on whether to strike.

Workers are being asked whether they want to walk out over a collective grievance not being adequately dealt with and the employer refusing to follow the right procedures in the collective bargaining agreement with the union.

The ballot will run from today and close on 11 July.

Build from below, come to the workers’ summit

On Saturday 23 September a “Workers’ Summit is meeting in-person in London around the slogan, “Link the fights, reject bad deals, fight to win!”

Organisers describe it as “an afternoon for grassroots collaboration”. It was initiated by Lambeth and Hackney NEU, NHS Workers Say No and Strike Map. It’s already backed by 20 trade union branches and trades councils.

The summit will host discussion but can also strengthen the networks of resistance at the base of the unions.

To book go here. To add your union branch to the supporting organisations, or for a model motion, contact [email protected]