Rishi Sunak has snubbed an offer from RMT boss Mick Lynch to meet up to solve the rail dispute.
And instead the PM upped the bitter war of words against the union as his aides accused RMT of “holding Christmas hostage with more damaging strikes.”
Mr Sunak is gambling that public opinion will turn against striking rail crews, nurses, posties border guards and balloting firefighters costing a million working days this month.
The lead-up to Christmas promises to be the worst disruption the nation has faced since July 1989 during Margaret Thatcher’s premiership..
On top of trains stopping 26,000 ambulance drivers will walk out and 100,000 nurses plan to strike on Thursday. Firefighters are balloting.
Mr Lynch offered the olive branch to No10 in a bid to avert two 48 hour strikes this week which will paralyse the rail network as 40,000 RMT members walk out.
He told the PM in a letter: “It is now clear to my union and the wider public that No10 is directing the mandate for the rail companies and has torpedoed talks.
“There is no reason why this dispute could not be settled in the same way that RMT has resolved disputes in Scotland and Wales.”
Mr Lynch accused the PM of paying rail operators £300million to compensate them for not coming to an agreement.
But Mr Sunak will now delegate the task of talking to the union to Transport Secretary Mark Harper and Rail minister Huw Merriman.
And the PM is drawing up punishing anti-strike laws which would force 20% of trains to operate during industrial action.
He could extend that minimum service cover to teachers, NHS staff, firefighters and border control. And until the unions agree strikes would be banned.
The threshold for strike action could be raised from a 50% turnout of eligible union members to 40% of all members, including those who did not vote.
The notice needed before a strike goes ahead may be doubled from two weeks to four, and strike bans on police, armed forces and prison officers could be extended to paramedics and firefighters.
Fire union boss Matt Wrack said: “That would be an outrage in a so-called democracy in keeping with the actions of a dictatorial regime”.
Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves added: “Instead of trying to stop industrial action through legislation, the government should be trying to resolve issues causing key workers to take action in the first place.”
Unite’s Sharon Graham said: “We will not be intimidated by anti-trade union attacks. If they put more hurdles in our way, we will jump over them”
Mr Sunak said: “I will do what I need to do.”
Diary of disruption
Sunday, 11 Dec
- Royal Mail
Tuesday, 13 Dec
- Rail workers
- Driving examiners (12 days)
Wednesday, 14 Dec
- Rail workers
- Royal Mail
Thursday, 15 Dec
- Nurses
- Royal Mail
Friday, 16 Dec
- Rail workers
- Heathrow baggage handlers
Saturday, 17 Dec
- Rail workers
- Heathrow baggage handlers
Tuesday, 20 Dec
- Nurses
Wednesday, 21 Dec
- Ambulance crews
Thursday, 22 Dec
- National Highways
Friday, 23 Dec
- Border Force until Boxing Day
Saturday, 24 Dec
- National Highways
Wednesday, 28 Dec
- Ambulance crews
Friday, 30 Dec
- National Highways
Saturday, 31 Dec
- National Highways
