The authorities is “simply not in a position to pay inflation pay rises”, the transport secretary has advised Sky News earlier than a gathering with the boss of the sector’s largest union tomorrow.
Mark Harper advised The Take with Sophy Ridge that he understands why “people facing these cost-of-living pressures want more pay”, however stated if ministers have been to grant this want, “the danger is that we would embed inflation”.
Rail unions should “understand” the significance of getting inflation right down to get the economic system again on monitor, he stated.
Mr Harper was talking earlier than a gathering with Mick Lynch, the overall secretary of the RMT union, on Thursday.
This week Mr Lynch insisted he is “not the Grinch” as he introduced 4 48-hour strikes over Christmas and New Year.
Mr Lynch stated on Tuesday that there had been no improved supply on jobs, pay and circumstances, so extra walkouts would go forward.
About 40,000 employees from Network Rail and 14 practice corporations are set to strike on 13, 14, 16 and 17 December and three, 4, 6 and seven January.
It means disruption for travellers, employees and consumers within the run-up to Christmas and for folks returning house after the festive break.
There may be issues on different days as a result of the RMT stated an additional time ban would run from 18 December to 2 January.
The transport secretary warned Sky News that the upcoming strikes are going to be “really disruptive” and may have “a very significant cost”.
But he stated he won’t negotiate with Mr Lynch over the contemporary spherical of strikes in tomorrow’s assembly.
“I would urge them to call off the strikes, get back round the table with the employers, try and hammer out some of those reforms that are necessary, and which deliver the savings that then can then help pay for the pay rises for his members and deliver a better service,” Mr Harper stated.
Asked whether it is truthful for rail employees to anticipate their wages to match inflation, he stated a very powerful problem for the entire nation is that “we get inflation under control”.
Embedding inflation isn’t in anybody’s curiosity, he stated.
“What is in people’s interest is that we get inflation driven out of the system so that it comes back down to a lower level, we see interest rates then falling – that is how we get a long-term sustainable position.”
Mr Harper added that he desires “the dispute to be settled” via “a sensible conversation” tomorrow, including: “We absolutely do not want this to go on to New Year.”
The Christmas motion would be the newest in a collection of rail strikes that started in June and follows RMT members final week voting to proceed putting for one more six months.
Train drivers who belong to the Aslef union are staging a separate strike this Saturday, hitting companies run by 11 operators, together with Great Western and Southeastern.
Source: information.sky.com”