As RMT union members began a month of further rail disruption this morning, Mick Lynch accused the Government of “blowing up any chance of a deal” with rail workers.
The RMT union’s general secretary alleged that No. 10 had placed restrictions on the train operating firms during negotiations that would make it impossible to reach a deal. Additionally, he asserted that the government was “deliberately obstructing” a better pay deal.
“The art of negotiation is getting to a position where both sides can accept a deal, and the Government, the DfT, and I think all the way up to No. 10 has put conditions on the train operating companies that they know will blow up any chance of a deal”, Mr. Lynch told BBC Breakfast.
He added: “At the moment they are deliberately obstructing that deal. We have seen it with the nurses, we have seen it with the paramedics, I think we are going to see it in the education sector and in the firefighter sector. They are obstructing these deals because they want to keep wages lowered and they want to strip out terms and conditions of many people.”
RMT members are moving on with two 48-hour strikes at 14 railway companies and Network Rail this week, beginning today and then again starting on Friday.