The Transport Select Committee heard from two sides within the nationwide rail dispute, however an important voice – the third rail – was not even within the room.
Mick Whelan, of drivers’ unions Aslef, put the probabilities of decision at zero (on a scale of 1 to 10) whereas Mick Lynch, of the RMT, mentioned his members “would not go near” the presents at present on the desk.
Tim Shoveller, Network Rail’s chief negotiator, put the prospects at seven, his optimism primarily based on a conviction that RMT members who rejected his pay supply final month would change their minds if solely they higher understood it.
What is obvious is {that a} decision relies upon not on employees or monitor and practice operators, however on ministers.
The energy sits with the Department for Transport
COVID destroyed the railways’ monetary mannequin, and modifications to the best way the community is structured imply all of the income, danger, and the inducement to do a deal, now sit with the Department for Transport, and finally the Treasury.
As Mr Lynch identified, practice operators obtain charges from authorities to run companies whether or not trains run or not, and get compensation on strike days.
“They made profits every day during the pandemic, they continue to make profits today… there’s plenty of profit in the railways, it’s just going to private companies.”
Mr Whelan mentioned it was a “Monty Python world” wherein taxpayers are funding dividends for shareholders of personal firms.”
Proxies despatched out with out the facility to alter
The post-pandemic construction successfully makes Network Rail (chargeable for monitor, indicators and a few stations) and the Rail Delivery Group (representing personal practice working firms) passengers on this dispute, proxies despatched out to barter with out the facility to alter phrases.
It’s an argument powerfully prosecuted by Mick Lynch, chief of the RMT.
“There’s a Stalinist obsession with centralised control in the Department of Transport,” he advised MPs.
“British Rail would never have tolerated this level of interference.”
The central cost is that ministers intentionally derailed negotiations by insisting on phrases they know the unions would by no means settle for.
Exhibit A is the introduction of driver-only operation (DOO) as a situation of pay presents made to the RDG to the RMT.
Union opposition to DOO is long-established, on the grounds of passenger security and the job losses that will movement from eradicating guards.
When the RMT – fully predictably – rejected the RDG’s supply earlier than Christmas, Mr Lynch says ministers have been comfortable for seasonal strikes to go forward as a way to attempt to flip public opinion in opposition to employees.
It is a cynical view, however one supported by the proof.
Mark Harper, the third transport secretary within the final six months, has by no means denied his division had a task in introducing DOO, and the introduction of draconian anti-strike laws this week by his predecessor Grant Shapps suggests an administration in search of battle reasonably than frequent floor.
An opportunity for a deal
Yet for all of the unhealthy blood, a window of alternative has opened.
Having held 4 days of commercial motion in every of December and January, and 19 since final June, RMT members particularly have taken an enormous monetary hit. Their management might now give them an opportunity to get better and pay the payments by working uninterrupted for a month or two.
The RMT mandate for strike motion lasts till May they usually might but use it once more, however so long as they do not the employers, and the ministers in cost, may transfer in the direction of a brand new supply.
If they need a deal they might want to give floor, recasting or eradicating the DOO clauses, and maybe discovering one other proportion level of pay to make the RDG and Network Rail offers price 10% over two years.
But whether or not this week was a ultimate flexing of muscle earlier than the intense enterprise of negotiation, or the beginning of a brand new section in a protracted dispute, can be determined not on the railways however in Whitehall.
Source: information.sky.com”