There is “not a bottomless pit of money” to be spent on increasing workers’ pay, Transport Secretary Mark Harper has warned the RMT union – as rail staff undertake further strike action today.
Mr Harper told Sky News “there is a fair and reasonable pay offer on the table” and said it is “deeply unhelpful” that RMT members have chosen to continue strikes this week rather than holding further discussions in an attempt to end the dispute.
“It’s not a bottomless pit of taxpayers’ money here,” he said.
“The taxpayers put a huge amount of investment into the rail industry over the last few years when it was hit with huge impact from the pandemic when people weren’t travelling.
“And I think you’ve got to have an offer that’s fair to the people that work in the industry, but it’s also fair to the taxpayer that’s picking up the tab – and that’s the balance that we’re trying to strike.”
Union boss and transport secretary answer questions as rail strikes return – politics latest
About 40,000 members of the RMT union from Network Rail and 14 train operators are taking industrial action today, tomorrow, Friday and Saturday – meaning most services nationwide will not run.
Train drivers are also set to stage a one-day walkout on Thursday, meaning the UK’s rail network will be crippled throughout the first working week of 2023.
Passengers have been urged to only travel if necessary.
RMT boss Mick Lynch told Sky News a deal is “achievable in the next few days”, adding that “the companies know what they need to do”.
Mr Lynch said his union members need “a settlement that addresses all of the issues” and warned they may “ballot again” if an agreement is not achieved.
“Our proposals and our needs are quite modest in this dispute,” he added.
But Mr Harper said the “very fair pay offer on the table” has been accepted by two of the trade unions on Network Rail as he urged the RMT union to do the same.
The transport secretary also denied a claim that ministers intervened in rail strike negotiations in December to stop a deal, saying: “That absolutely isn’t true.”
