Transport secretary Grant Shapps dismissed the concept of ministers speaking the unions over rail strikes – saying there was not even a “one in one million” probability he might have helped stop disruption.
The minister mentioned there was “nothing we will do” to cease Britain’s greatest rail strike in 30 years, which kicked off on Tuesday morning when tens of hundreds of employees walked out in a dispute over pay and jobs.
Underneath fireplace for failing to intervene in talks, Mr Shapps insisted that ministerial engagement would have “made no distinction” aside from offering “a little bit of theatre”.
He informed Sky Information on Tuesday: “If I assumed there was even a one in one million probability that my being within the room helped, then I’d be there,” earlier than including that his presence at talks “wouldn’t work out too effectively”.
Mr Shapps mentioned ministers had not been concerned in rail talks “for the reason that Nineteen Seventies” when offers have been agreed between the then-Labour PM and unions over “beer and sandwiches”.
In a heated change with Sky Information host Kay Burley, Mr Shapps accused her of “falling” for a Labour and union “stunt” on the concept he failed to have interaction in talks.
“I perceive you need us to return to beer and sandwiches within the Nineteen Seventies,” the minister informed the presenter, earlier than including: “It is a stunt by Labour and the unions that’s you’re falling for.”
Mr Shapps additionally mentioned union chief and the rail corporations have been “those with the technical particulars and “the mandate” for negotiations, which didn’t attain a last-minute compromise on Monday.
The transport secretary vowed to “push on” with modifications the legislation geared toward limiting rail union energy by requiring a sure degree of service to be run and enabling the usage of company employees. “We’re going to be certain that the legislation is firmly on the passengers’ facet,” he mentioned.
The RMT pulled the plug on last-ditch talks with employers on Monday, rejecting a most pay rise of three%.
The union additionally blamed ministers for stopping Community Rail and prepare working corporations from negotiating freely on pay, jobs and situations.
However the Division for Transport dismissed the declare as “completely not true” – and insisted {that a} £2bn shortfall in sources for the nationwide community that the RMT attributed to authorities cuts was right down to Covid.
Mr Shapps has accused RMT chief Mick Lynch of wanting to remodel himself into one of many “Nineteen Seventies union barons”.
He informed LBC radio on Tuesday: “I can see what’s taking place right here, their chief says he’s nostalgic for the times of union powers and he’s decided to show himself again into a kind of Nineteen Seventies union barons.”
In the meantime, unions reacted with fury to studies Labour has banned its frontbenchers from picket strains, in a memo leaked to PoliticsHome.
Sharon Graham, normal secretary of Unite, mentioned: “The Labour Social gathering was based by the commerce unions and we count on Labour MPs to defend employees, by phrases and by actions.”
Kaynak: briturkish.com
