Striking rail workers said it is “sad” they have had to use industrial action again in a bid to secure a first pay rise in three years.
Members of the Rail and Maritime Transport workers union (RMT) stood together outside Lime Street station this morning as they staged their latest walk out this summer. The strike, which is one of many held outside the busy terminal in the last few months, was taken as workers seek to protect jobs and livelihoods amid the ongoing cost of living crisis.
Train operators advised passengers of major delays as a result of the walk outs, with Merseytravel urging people to plan their journeys this morning and on Saturday as both the RMT and Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) members stood on the picket line. Liverpool Lime Street services were reduced to two departures per hour while Merseyrail ran a reduced operation on six lines.
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While Merseyrail staff are not part of this industrial action, it did involve Network Rail staff who operate the signalling systems and provide maintenance support. Among those outside Lime Street were Darren Pilling, regional secretary of the RMT North West and North Wales Regional Council.
He thanked the public for their support as the fight for pay continued. Mr Pilling said: “It’s very sad we’re out here again.
“Unfortunately there’s not a lot of talking going on at the moment, probably as a result of the vacuum at the top of Government. It’s almost as if they’re waiting to see who gets elected before they start entering into serious negotiations to try and solve the three issues we’re in dispute with them about.
“Those issues being pay, we’ve not had a pay rise for three years, job security, we’re keen to try and get a no compulsory redundancy agreement off the company, and also the right to negotiate our terms and conditions and not have changes imposed on us. It’s upset a lot of people, a lot of people are hurting and it’s not just us that are hurting, we know that the people out there, who speak to us on these picket lines understand because they’re hurting too.”
Standing alongside the RMT were members of the TSSA. Gary Kilroy, Merseyside branch general secretary, said it was unfair that rail staff were being asked to show restraint amid the ongoing financial difficulties. He said: “We’re out here to protect our conditions, also Network Rail are making wide scale cuts and changes to the maintenance functions which is going to result in a much less safe railway network.
“We’re in a cost of living crisis, and we’re being told to show restraint in our pay claims, but the people who aren’t showing restraint are the energy companies. The only people being asked to show restraint are working people and we’re out here to say that’s not fair and we need to keep our pay up with the cost of living so we can afford to pay the bills.”
Services will return to normal on Merseyrail from 7am on Friday before a second day of strike action on Saturday.
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