The British prime minister has accused union boss Mick Lynch of making UK rail workers and border officers “foot soldiers” in his “class war”, claiming that “an increasing number of union members want a deal”.
Writing in The Sun on Sunday, Rishi Sunak said the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) had been offered deals that are “fair” and “affordable to taxpayers” but these had been rejected.
“The unions are causing misery for millions, with transport strikes in particular cruelly timed to hit outings at Christmas,” he said.
“Even Labour has admitted the unions’ demands are unaffordable. But they’ll still take union money and undermine the interests of the public.
“Labour backs the Grinches that want to steal Christmas for their own political ends.
“Rail workers and border officers have been offered deals that are fair — and affordable to taxpayers. An increasing number of union members want a deal. They are tired of being foot soldiers in Mick Lynch’s class war.”
It comes as services restart following 48 hours of strike action by rail workers, causing more travel misery for passengers as a bitter dispute over pay, jobs and conditions remains deadlocked.
Talks between the leader of the RMT union, train company employers and Rail Minister Huw Merriman on Thursday failed to make a breakthrough.
The union went ahead with a walkout from Friday on Network Rail and 14 train operators, which crippled services across the country.
Disruption will continue for the rest of the month because of an overtime ban by RMT members at 14 train operators.
A 48-hour strike by bus drivers in London on Saturday added to travel disruptions.
Mr Lynch is maintaining that the union continues to receive strong support from the public.
He said: “It’s better we are talking than not, so the rail minister convened a meeting on Thursday with the RMT representatives along Network Rail and the train operators.
“We exchanged some ideas and some possibilities, there was no negotiations at that, nothing arising tangible out of that.
“But what he did having heard that as the facilitator, as they describe themselves and the people that ultimately own the purse strings, is he invited us and requested that we get together and hold further talks going forward and we’ll do that in the next period if the companies want to get engaged in it.”
