NEWS.CATEGORY: Industrial
TSSA call on Grant Shapps to mandate new deal ahead of further strike action
TSSA have called upon Transport Secretary Grant Shapps to join unions at the negotiating table following strike action which saw trains ground to a halt yesterday as thousands of rail workers took to picket lines across Britain, with further industrial action set to go ahead tomorrow (Saturday).
Following yesterday’s action TSSA’s General Secretary, Manuel Cortes, said it was now time for ‘common sense to prevail’ and a revised offer to be brought to the table. TSSA say they have not heard from train operating companies since an ‘insulting’ initial offer which forced many of their members to take strike action for the first time. The railway union argues that this is largely down to the Department for Transport.
Manuel Cortes, TSSA General Secretary, said: ““For many of our members yesterday was the first time they have taken part in industrial action after years of working on the railways. Make no mistake, they were forced into yesterday's and tomorrow’s action as a result of their employer’s intransigence no doubt aided and abetted by the Tory Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps.
“We very much hope that common sense will now prevail, and the Department for Transport Train Operators will make a revised offer, as we have heard nothing from them since their derisory and insulting 2% pay offer with more strings attached than a violin quartet many weeks ago. If they do, we will engage in further discussions with them at once. But for this to happen, Grant Shapps must either come to the table or give train operators the mandate to negotiate and break this impasse.
“We are continuing to engage with Network Rail and talks are ongoing. We hope the gap between us can soon be closed. But following more comments from the Transport Secretary this morning, it seems to us that Grant Shapps is willing to talk to everyone apart from our reps.
“Make no mistake, unless a negotiated settlement which is acceptable to our members is reached, this dispute will continue for as long as it takes.”
Over 5,000 TSSA members from 11 train operators and Network Rail have taken industrial action yesterday (Thursday 18 August) with similar numbers expected tomorrow (Saturday 20 August).
ENDS
TSSA members took strike action at Avanti West Coast, c2c, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Great Western Railway, LNER and Southeastern on 18 August and will do so again on 20 August.
TSSA members are taking industrial action short of a strike at West Midlands Trains, Northern, Greater Anglia, and TransPennine Express on, and around those dates.
- Avanti West Coast: station grades will not attend work between 00:01 and 23:59 on Thursday 18 August and between 00:01 and 23:59 on Saturday 20 August
- c2c: will not attend work between 00:01 and 23:59 on Thursday 18 August and between 00:01 and 23:59 on Saturday 20 August
- CrossCountry: will not attend work between 00:01 and 23:59 on Thursday 18 August and between 00:01 and 23:59 on Saturday 20 August
- East Midlands Railway: will not attend work between 00:01 and 23:59 on Thursday 18 August and between 00:01 and 23:59 on Saturday 20 August
- Great Western Railway: will not attend work between 00:01 and 23:59 on Thursday 18 August and between 00:01 and 23:59 on Saturday 20 August
- LNER: will not attend work between 00:01 and 23:59 on Thursday 18 August and between 00:01 and 23:59 on Saturday 20 August
- Southeastern: will not attend work between 00:01 and 23:59 on Thursday 18 August and between 00:01 and 23:59 on Saturday 20 August.
- Network Rail General Grades 5-8 and Controllers: do not commence work between: 02:01 on Thursday 18th August to 01:59 on Friday 19th August and 02:01 on Saturday 20th August to 01:59 on Sunday 21st August.
