Transport Secretary Mark Harper has criticized the RMT transport union for allegedly targeting the Eurovision song contest by scheduling strikes on the event’s date. RMT members are set to strike on 13 May after the union rejected the latest pay deal offered by train operators. The RMT accused the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), representing train operators, of sabotaging pay negotiations.
However, Harper claims that a “fair and reasonable pay offer” was presented. Speaking on the Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg program, he encouraged the RMT, the UK’s largest specialist transport union, to let its members decide on the pay offer. Instead, Harper asserts that the RMT is “cynically targeting” the Eurovision song contest with the strikes.
Harper also pointed out that the UK is hosting the contest on behalf of Ukraine and suggested that the RMT should stand in solidarity with Ukrainian rail workers affected by the ongoing conflict. The RMT did not provide additional comments beyond its previous statements.
The RMT union plans to launch a 24-hour strike across 14 train operators on Saturday 13 May, the day Liverpool hosts the Eurovision final for Ukraine. The union’s executive and train operators had been discussing a new pay offer to resolve a long-standing dispute. The RDG’s proposals included a 5% pay increase for one year, contingent on the union entering a “dispute resolution process” and accepting changes to working practices.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch accused the RDG of reneging on its initial proposals and undermining the negotiations. Train operators countered that they were taken aback by the strike and denied altering their offer. Steve Montgomery, chair of the RDG Group, accused the union of negotiating in bad faith and causing unnecessary disruptions.
The RMT’s decision to take industrial action follows strike announcements by Aslef, a union representing train drivers. Aslef has planned strikes on 12 and 31 May, as well as on 3 June, the day of the FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium in London. The union rejected an offer from 16 train firms, which included a 4% pay raise for two consecutive years and changes to conditions.
Aslef’s general secretary, Mick Whelan, called the offer “risible” as inflation remains above 10%. When asked on the Sunday program whether the government would allow rail strikes to disrupt the industry until Christmas, Harper did not provide a direct answer but emphasized that workers must decide whether to accept the pay offer. He warned that the rail unions’ actions could drive people away from the industry and predicted that the bus and coach sector would compensate for the planned rail strikes in May and June.
