Three days of rail strikes are set to coincide with Glastonbury Festival dates. As a result, festival-goers may face chaos when trying to get there by train.
The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) have announced that strikes are planned for June 21, 23 and 25. The first strike day will also coincide with planned strike action by London Underground workers over jobs and pensions, Somerset Live reports.
As a result, more than 50,000 workers will be walking out to make a stand. The RMT has said their strike action is due to a dispute relating to pay and possible job losses.
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The strike action may cause major problems for people who are relying on the transport. This includes those hoping to travel to Glastonbury by train.
The festival is returning this year for the first time since 2019 due to the coronavirus pandemic. But the strikes could mean that attendees looking to get to Worthy Farm between June 22 and 26 on the train via nearby Castle Cary face disruption.
The RMT said that it will be the biggest industrial action on the railways since 1989 and that members are concerned about pay freezes and job cuts despite their hard work during the pandemic. RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “Railway workers have been treated appallingly and despite our best efforts in negotiations, the rail industry with the support of the government has failed to take their concerns seriously.
“We have a cost-of-living crisis, and it is unacceptable for railway workers to either lose their jobs or face another year of a pay freeze when inflation is at 11.1% and rising. Our union will now embark on a sustained campaign of industrial action which will shut down the railway system.
“Rail companies are making at least £500m a year in profits, whilst fat cat rail bosses have been paid millions during the Covid pandemic. This unfairness is fuelling our members anger and their determination to win a fair settlement. RMT is open to meaningful negotiations with rail bosses and ministers, but they will need to come up with new proposals to prevent months of disruption on our railways.”
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “It is incredibly disappointing the RMT have decided to take action that could drive passengers away from the rail network for good. The pandemic has changed travel habits – with 25% fewer ticket sales and the taxpayer stepping in to keep the railways running at a cost of £16 billion, equivalent to £600 per household.
“We must act now to put the industry on a sustainable footing. We are working with industry to reduce disruption caused by strike action, but unions are jumping the gun by announcing this when talks have only just begun.
“We once again want to urge the unions to come to talks with the rail industry so we can work together to build a better, more modern, passenger-focused railway.”
Anthony Smith, chief executive of the watchdog Transport Focus, said: “Passengers will be disappointed that the rail industry and the RMT have not been able to reach an agreement and strikes have been announced. This means uncertainty for passengers, so it is crucial that all parties get back around the table and resolve this matter without bringing the railway to a standstill.
“It is passengers who suffer most in the event of strikes. Passengers will need plenty of advance information about the strikes and what services will be running to allow them to plan their journeys during this uncertain time.”
Speaking about the strikes, Network Rail bosses have said they will keep talking to the RMT in an attempt to avoid disruption. Andrew Haines, Network Rail’s chief executive, said: “We continue to meet with our trades unions to discuss their pay concerns and we’re doing everything we can to avoid strike action on the railway.
“We know that the cost of living has increased and we want to give our people a pay rise, but the RMT must recognise we are a public body and any pay increase has to be affordable for taxpayers. Travel habits have changed forever and the railway must change as well.
“We cannot expect to take more than our fair share of public funds, and so we must modernise our industry to put it on a sound financial footing for the future. Failure to modernise will only lead to industry decline and more job losses in the long run.
“There are two weeks until the first strike is planned. We will use this time to keep talking to our unions and, through compromise and common sense on both sides, we hope to find a solution and avoid the damage that strike action would cause all involved.”
