Commuters in Manchester city centre have largely backed striking railway workers — despite facing delays on the first day of the walk-out. The RMT drastically slashed services in the biggest rail walkout in 30 years.
The row over pay and conditions has sparked a bitter battle between unions and the Government, with last-ditch talks yesterday failing to resolve the disagreement. Today’s strike is the first of three this week — the others being Thursday and Saturday.
However, despite facing delays and missed meetings, passengers in Manchester largely threw their support behind rail workers joining the walkout.
READ MORE: What to do if you were planning to travel by train this week as strikes WILL go ahead
Teresa McHugh, who won’t be able to see her daughter on the strike days, told the MEN: “Normally I get the train to Marple Bridge, that’s where my daughter lives. We're all on s*** street.
“If we all went on strike, there wouldn’t be anything. I do not know what conditions they work in — but I have been on strike in the past.”
On the longest day of the year, the sun was beating down on Piccadilly Gardens. At 4.50pm, the first swell of commuters made their way to the bus stop to navigate their way back.
Usually, passengers will jostle for a place under the cover to avoid rain — but today the real prize is a spot of shade. Karen Davies is one of the lucky ones in a cooler spot.
“When I came in on the bus of the M60 near Audenshaw — at about 7:50am — it was three lines straight going to Stockport,” she says. “The M60 was busy this morning. It is a yes and no from me [on if I support the workers on strike] I can understand where they are coming from.”
Like most of the people waiting, Karen did not usually get the train home — but there have been knock on effects. Caught up in that was Wendy Meakin, who explained: “I got to work 10 minutes later than usual, because the roads were busier with people coming in cars.”
Despite that, she is behind the union, adding: “It’s the only way the workers can be heard.” One person who’s facing the prospect of losing work is Alex Harford. The musician is set to play a gig this weekend.
He explained: “I will be needing to get the train on Saturday to Shrewsbury. I am a musician, so if I do not work I just have to accept it.” However, he refused to condemn the workers.
It’s not just social engagement that are being hit, though. Taxis, usually a staple at Manchester’s grand Victorian stations, were sparse today and Piccadilly eerily quiet.
Ikram, a driver for 22 years, said: “My last job was 45 minutes ago. At this time it would [usually] be 10 or 15 minutes. It is the same all around the city centre. It is not as dead as Covid, but this is second to that.”
One man who was firmly in favour of the strike was Joe White, from Rochdale, the 18-year-old was on the picket line — despite not being an RMT member. He told the MEN : “This is affecting me actively.
“I am doing my A-levels at the moment, and I don’t care. I am going to college, but I have to empathise with people. You have to fight. Yes, it’s disruptive but it is how we can be listened to.”
Additionally, union officials at the Piccadilly picket also said they had had positive feedback. “We’ve had a few passers-by and they have given us a toot of the horn and also we’ve quite a few sirens,” Clayton Clive — the RMT Manchester South branch secretary — said.
“We’ve had lots of support from people driving by as well. Generally I think the average person who uses the train is supportive. They know the workers are not on exaggerated salaries. I oddly think — maybe I am being optimistic — that the support will grow. The people on the fence will soon realise it’s the government shackling the companies from negotiating.”
And the opening day of action has also fuelled confidence from RMT bosses, with Mick Lynch declaring it ‘fantastic’ and ‘exceed expectations’ — adding that the union ‘will win’ the dispute. However, the government is also not backing down, with a spokesperson for the Department for Transport saying: “These are desperately needed reforms that modernise the railway and put it on a sustainable footing for passengers and taxpayers.
“Unions have shut down big parts of the rail network, hitting local businesses and unfairly cutting people off from hospitals, schools and work. However, early data shows that unlike in the past many people now have the opportunity to work from home, so we haven’t even a rush to the roads, as traffic has instead gone online, which means the unions aren’t having the overall impact they might have hoped.”
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