A row has broken out between two of Britain’s largest rail unions as another round of strikes by railway staff over pay and job losses gets under way.
In an interview with The Independent, the leader of the TSSA (Transport Salaried Staffs Association) accused the RMT (National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers) of putting jobs at risk by pushing ahead with its walkouts.
Peter Pendle, the TSSA’s interim general secretary, accused Mick Lynch’s union of lacking “strategic thinking” and blowing up a pay deal it has struck with train companies.
It comes as ministers push to close hundreds of ticket offices in stations across the country amid the biggest strikes in 30 years.
The TSSA ceased its strikes in February after it came to a deal with employers that included a 5 per cent pay rise and no compulsory redundancies until 2025.
But rail operators, backed by the government, have now reneged on the agreement and moved to close ticket offices – with staff preparing for as many as 2,000 job cuts. Employers say the RMT’s refusal to sign up to the deal means it does not stand for the TSSA.
“The bottom line is because of the line that our colleagues are taking, the deal – which was a good deal – has been swept away and all these changes are being imposed. So you’d have to question the strategic thinking of our sister union on this issue,” the TSSA’s interim general secretary said.
RMT leader Mick Lynch has said he has not met a government minister since January
Mr Pendle, a veteran trade unionist who was brought in to steady the TSSA’s troubled leadership, added: “The RMT in their wisdom decided not to sign up … it’s not for me to tell sister unions how they should conduct their negotiating arrangements and I’m sure that the TUC would tell me off if I did.
“I just find the situation that we’re in, where we had an agreement, that governed [these changes] – I mean, we’re opposed to them, but if they’re going to be done they need to be done properly, and with the least damage to the travelling public and people working in the ticket offices. And my view is that that’s not happening at the moment.”
As the RMT’s 20,000 members prepared to walk out on Thursday, a spokesperson for the union hit back, telling The Independent that “what other unions want to do is up to them and their members”.
“RMT will never apologise for being a front-foot fighting trade union that acts in the interests of its members,” they said, noting that the union had signed deals in other disputes.
The government and rail companies have in recent weeks signalled their intention to close hundreds of ticket offices across the rail network, with a public consultation in England set to run until 26 July.
The biggest rail strike in 30 years continues on Thursday
Despite claims that the closures are an opportunity to redeploy staff into more prominent customer-facing roles, train operators have already written to unions setting out a 45-day consultation period for proposed redundancies.
Mr Pendle said he expected that the move would “almost certainly” raise the spectre of more industrial action. But he questioned the wisdom of walking out over the issue, adding: “I mean, there we are, campaigning to keep ticket offices open. Should we go on strike to close the ticket offices that we’re trying to keep open? You can see the point.”
The RMT’s national rail members are to walk out on strike for three days this week: on Thursday 20, Saturday 22 and Saturday 29 July. Members of the Aslef train drivers union are also taking part in an overtime ban from Monday to Saturday this week.
The TSSA is currently electing a new permanent general secretary, with Mr Pendle holding the interim role until latest this year when a successor is expected to be in place.
It follows the departure of Manuel Cortes, who led the union for 11 years but who has retired amid allegations of sexual harassment. He denies any wrongdoing and apologised for any hurt caused by his behaviour.
Mr Pendle joked he was trying to drag his union “into the 19th century”, adding: “I think we’re beginning to look like a proper trade union that’s fit for the 21st century going forward.”
An RMT spokesperson said: “Our members renewed the mandate for strike action for the third time in the dispute with the train operating companies by a vote of nine to one. The pay offer made to us had a whole raft of unacceptable conditions.
“We have now won deals in every part of the railway where the DfT does not have a mandate. Rail companies and the government are the ones to blame for the current impasse in the dispute.”
Empty platforms in Paddington station in London, during a strike by train driver members of Aslef and the RMT
A spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators, said: “The agreement reached with the TSSA in February 2023 was a set of agreed national principles to update the railway for how passengers use it today. However, unfortunately, due to the nature of collective bargaining, the agreement reached with TSSA can’t be progressed for just the TSSA.
“The RMT leadership has not only refused to put a pay deal to its members which would give all staff a pay rise as well as giving job security guarantees, but they are also holding up pay rises and job security guarantees for hundreds of TSSA members. Our offer remains on the table should the RMT wish to continue national discussions so we can secure a thriving long-term future for the railways.”
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “The government has met the rail unions, listened to them and facilitated improved offers on pay and reform. The union leaders should put these fair and reasonable offers to their members so this dispute can be resolved.”
