Rail unions ‘holding London to ransom’ after rejecting pay deal

Rail unions are attempting to “hold London to ransom” this Christmas after rejecting a pay deal and vowing to plough ahead with strikes, MPs have warned.

London Minister Paul Scully accused the RMT of threatening to “create misery” over the festive period by refusing to back down over walkouts this month and in the new year.

Some 40,000 staff members across Network Rail and 14 train companies are taking industrial action on December 13, 14, 16 and 17 and on January 3, 4, 6 and 7 after talks broke down last night.

The RMT rejected a 4 per cent pay rise deal from the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) which the union said came with “unacceptable” conditions, including vast changes to working practices, job losses, the closure of ticket offices and Driver Only Operated trains on all companies.

Mr Scully said: “These strikes will mean Christmas misery for Londoners trying to get home or get to work.

“Hospitality has been hit by two years of disruption and now they have unions threatening to ruin this year.

“The unions have been offered a fair deal but are trying to hold London to ransom. They have got to keep talking, not striking.”

Downing Street urged rail union chiefs to “think again” over the wave of strikes.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “We continue to urge the RMT to think again. We do think this is the right offer.

“It’s a significant improvement on what they were offered before.”

Sir Bob Neill, Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for London and MP for Bromley and Chislehurst, said: “The unions are acting very unfairly.

“The offer was a reasonable one. The unions have timed these strikes deliberately to hold Londoners and businesses to ransom.”

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said the Government and RDG knew the pay offer “would not be acceptable”.

“We have rejected this offer as it does not meet any of our criteria for securing a settlement on long term job security, a decent pay rise and protecting working conditions,” he said.

The RDG said its offer will deliver “vital and long overdue” changes to working arrangements.

The union has demanded an urgent meeting with the RDG on Monday to continue negotiating a settlement.

It comes as more than 33,000 firefighters and control room staff began voting on whether to strike over pay.

Members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) are being asked if they want to take industrial action over a “derisory” 5 per cent pay rise.

More than 600 workers at Shelter began a fortnight of industrial action on Monday in a wage dispute. Unite said a 3 per cent pay increase this year has left many the homeless charity’s staff unable to pay their rent.

Nurses at health trusts across the country are also set to hold their first ever day of strike day on December 15 over pay. A second walk out is due on December 20.