Rail strikes can hit hard—if union leaders shift strategy  

RMT members on strike at Euston station picket line last month (Picture: Guy Smallman)

Rail strikes are set to paralyse Britain’s train services with action planned for Saturday by 40,000 RMT union members on Network Rail and 14 train operating companies.

Further strikes are planned for Monday and Wednesday next week.  Workers are continuing the fight for improved pay and working conditions while battling to reverse planned job and ticket office cuts.

It will be good to see rail ­workers back on the picket lines. The last strike day was more than three weeks ago. And bosses have not shifted.  The RMT has accused National Rail of performing a “radical U-turn” regarding promises of a wage raise during negotiations.

Network Rail worker Andy said workers now need to put their efforts into “focusing on strike days”. “It’s a huge strike—the biggest rail dispute in decades—the people I work with are talking about how we are going to win,” he said. “It’s simple to keep on with negotiations to try and win an improved deal but more can be done.”

Andy called for unity on the picket lines with other rail workers employed by train operating companies and London Underground walking out in unison. “That’s how the government will listen to us,” he said.

On Friday TSSA union members also planned to walk out on West Midlands Railway and London Northwestern Railway.

On Sunday, train managers in the RMT are due to strike on Avanti West Coast services.  And some 10,000 workers in separate disputes in London Underground and London Overground are due to strike on Thursday of next week. 

All this action follows 24-hour stoppages by 2,000 ScotRail workers in the RMT—the most recent being on Saturday of last week. The workers rejected a 5 percent pay increase and a £500 bonus. Rail strikes have been shutting down services since the summer. Strikes are likely to continue for the next few months.

But the future of the rail strikes across Britain is bound-up with the re-ballot that closes on 15 November. The RMT members at 15 train companies and Network Rail have conducted eight nationwide strikes since June and if they return a yes vote the strike mandate would extend a further six months. 

But the strategy has to shift. Intermittent action is not breaking through. The strikes have to be for longer and involve all the rail unions. As much as possible, coordinate strikes between different unions and ­disputes should be coordinated. 

Now that the UCU university workers’ union has backed strikes they will join 275,000 workers including those in Royal Mail and BT Group who have strike mandates.  All of these workers should come out together to be a thorn in the side of a government in crisis and encourage other workers to join them.