TSSA responds to fares rise news by calling for fares freeze to help with cost of living

Responding to the announcement that rail fares will rise by 5.9% in March, TSSA has called on the government to instead issue a fares’ freeze to help workers cope with the cost of living.  

Interim General Secretary, Frank Ward, said, “These fares increases are going to hit workers hard and bolster rail companies’ profits.  

“The government has a nerve, spinning this as an intervention to keep fares down. The truth is that they’re increasing fares by a bigger percentage than they’re willing to offer nurses, firefighters or railworkers in pay. The only people who will benefit from this news are the rail companies who’re already making massive profits for their shareholders. 

“The government should have given workers the Christmas present we all want and issued a rail fares’ freeze to help us all cover our heating and eating bills in 2023. 

“If they’re serious about the effects of inflation then it’s high time they came back to the negotiating table with a better offer for our members.”