29 January 2024 , 00:01
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A union leader has accused ministers of behaving like ostriches ahead of a fresh wave of strikes by train drivers.
Aslef General Secretary Mick Whelan accused the Government of making the long-running pay dispute worse. Rail passengers have been warned of disruption to services this week as members of Aslef launch a rolling programme of walkouts from Tuesday and ban overtime for nine days from Monday.
Mr Whelan accused the Government of "crass, ostrich-type behaviour", adding he had not met a Transport Minister for more than a year despite a series of strikes which have caused travel chaos. He said Transport Secretary Mark Harper and Transport Minister Huw Merriman were "not fit for office", and had given up trying to resolve the dispute.
Mr Whelan said: "We are also receiving huge support from the public. There isn't a household in the country which hasn't been affected by strikes over the past 18 months, so people know why we are making a stand. It is coming up for five years for many drivers without a pay rise.
“We have entered talks only to be treated with utter contempt and deceit. Crass ostrich-type behaviour by those in government who have no role in our wages or collective bargaining are at the root of all the problems this industry has."
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A Department for Transport spokesman said: "Aslef's leadership is refusing to let their members vote on an offer that would see the average train driver's salary increase to £65,000. The Transport Secretary and rail minister have already facilitated talks that led to this fair and reasonable offer from industry - Aslef bosses should put it to their members so we can resolve the dispute, which has already happened with the RMT, TSSA and Unite unions.”