Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has warned the country’s biggest rail union that this week’s strikes will be a “huge act of self-harm” which he said could jeopardise the future of the industry. Mr Shapps dismissed a call from the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union for the Government to intervene as a “stunt”, saying the union had been “gunning” for industrial action for weeks.
However, Labour said ministers needed to step in to prevent the network “grinding to a halt” in a dispute over pay, conditions and job losses. Industry bosses insisted that a settlement is still possible – with further talks taking place on Monday – but that the union had to accept the need for reform of “outdated” working practices.
Steve Montgomery, the chairman of the Rail Delivery Group, told the BBC: “We are now meeting them again tomorrow. We do want to offer them something but we have to have reform.
