The Mayor of Greater Manchester and several of the region's Labour MPs have spoken out on the biggest train strike in a generation.
It comes as Members of the RMT Union at Network Rail and 13 train operators staged a three-day walk-out from today in a row over pay, jobs and conditions - the biggest industrial action seen for over 30 years.
Despite Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer reportedly ordering frontbenchers not to join picket lines at train stations this week, many of the party's MPs - including some in Greater Manchester - defied the message to show their solidarity.
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Responding to the historic strike, which is due to last until the end of the week, Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham said it was 'entirely right' for train workers to fight for better income and working conditions.
"I am never going to be a politician that criticises anyone fighting for their income, for their family or to pay their rent. It is entirely right to do so given the difficult times we are in right now and the cost-of-living crisis," he said.
"All we need is an agreement and Government has everything in their ability to fix this, but they are not. It is almost as if they want the controversy of these strikes to take place. Everybody should turn their anger and criticism towards the people who can fix this and avoid these strikes – and that is Government."
Labour whip and MP for Stockport, Navendu Mishra, was at a picket line outside London Victoria this morning. He said: "As a proud trade unionist, I stand with all workers on our railway network who are taking industrial action to fight for their jobs and keep passengers safe."
Salford and Eccles MP Rebecca Long-Bailey also tweeted from London's Victoria Station: "Solidarity to all on strike today. All they want is fair pay and to protect jobs and services."
In Manchester, a trickle of travellers entered and left a largely deserted Piccadilly train station on Tuesday morning, as RMT pickets manned the entrances.
The station, which handled more than 130,000 visitors last weekend, was running just 20 per cent of normal weekday services with many local routes stopped completely. Similar scenes were replicated at Manchester Victoria and other train stations across the country today.
Whilst other MPs across the region fell short of joining picket lines, they did voice their support for workers right to strike and demand better living standards in the face of soaring inflation.
Speaking to the M.E.N, Labour MP for Blackley and Broughton, Graham Stringer said: "I think the rail workers have a completely justified case. The government are behaving completely irresponsibly.
"They are in charge of much of the railway network and are refusing to get involved in the negotiations. Any worker has the right to try and protect their living standards.
"Inflation is heading towards 11 per cent and they are being offered three per cent. Of course rail workers have a right to strike."
Afzal Khan, MP for Gorton urged the government to bring the relevant parties together and bring a resolution to the strikes - which are, and will continue to cause travel chaos across the country.
"I think things are very difficult for working people," he told the M.E.N. "We've had more than 10 years of stagnation of wages and we have seen an increase in inflation.
"People have been really struggling. I have seen throughout the pandemic how many working families have been requiring the use of food banks. I think the government has a responsibility to make sure they bring the parties together. It's not in anyone's interest for rail workers to go on strike."
MP for Wythenshawe and Sale East, Mike Kane, added: "The government have to sit down and talk to the Union. Grant Shapps is currently Missing in Action. It's really disruptive to the country and it's on the government to sort it out."
In the face of widespread criticism from several Conservative MPs, Bolton MP Yasmin Qureshi sought to remind the public that "nobody chooses to go on strike for fun."
"Contrary to what the majority of Tory MPs say, nobody chooses to go on strike for the hell out it. You do not get paid by your employer for going on strike," she said.
"They have offered three per cent and inflation is going up to 11 per cent. Whilst I accept it will cause inconvenience, striking is a legal right and is always used as a last resort.
"This government has made no effort to sit down with the union and talk about it. It seems the Tory's have money to help their friends but it's the hard working people they can never find money for."
Tweeting on Tuesday morning, Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and Ashton MP, Angela Rayner said: "Workers have been left with no choice. No one takes strike action lightly.
"I will always defend their absolute right to do so for fairness at work. The PM needs to do his own job. His government caused this. Now they must solve it."
Meanwhile, speaking to the BBC's Sophie Raworth on Sunday (19 June), Wigan MP Lisa Nandy was unable to give a yes or no answer about whether the Labour Party agreed with the strikes, but urged the government to 'get around the table.'
"The biggest problem this country faces right now is not militant workers, it's a militant government," the shadow secretary for levelling up said.
Manning the picket-line at Piccadilly station in Manchester on Tuesday morning, Clayton Clive, RMT branch secretary for Manchester South said they had so far received a "positive" reaction from the public.
"The average person who travels by train has been very supportive, they can see that the inflated wages put out by the train operators are false and they are trying to turn worker against worker," he said.
"We have had a positive reaction from the public, people taking leaflets and tooting horns. We do not want to cause anyone any inconvenience, or make people late for work but we have been backed into a corner where we have no other choice but to take this action and I think people can see that."
Yesterday, the government said it would not intervene in last-ditch talks between the Union and employers to avoid the action. A spokesperson for the Department for Transport said: "Strikes should always be the last resort, not the first, so it is hugely disappointing and premature that the RMT is going ahead with industrial action.
"The Government committed £16 billion – or £600 per household – to keep our railways running throughout the pandemic while ensuring not a single worker lost their job. The railway is still on life support, with passenger numbers 25 percent down and anything that drives away even more of them risks killing services and jobs.
"Train travel for millions more people is now a choice, not a necessity. Strikes stop our customers choosing rail and they might never return."
However, Trades Union Congress general secretary Frances O’Grady hit back at ministers. She said: "The Government has the power to help end this dispute but rather than working in good faith to find a negotiated settlement, ministers are inflaming tensions and trying to pitch worker against worker.
"Instead of threatening to do a P&O on these workers and rip up their rights, ministers should be getting people around the table to help agree a fair deal."
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