Latest updates: Labour deputy leader says her expenses were necessary for work and accuses government of wasting taxpayer’s money
Meanwhile, a transport minister, asked about the offer made to the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) in a bid to break the strikes impasse, has said he thought “a lot” of railways workers would “like to see this settlement happen”.
Speaking to Sky News, Richard Holden said:
The RMT has been offered a backdated pay rise of 5% for last year, compounded with a 4% rise for this year. That I think is a pretty generous offer, around 9% for the average rail worker and higher for those on the lowest incomes. I think that’s a good deal.
The unions, I think they need to have the confidence, if they are still rejecting our offer, to go to the membership and say that’s what they want and they want a fresh ballot. They have not done that, they won’t ask their members for their views.
This is the final offer from the government. We have done everything we can to facilitate talks.
Well, first of all, the RCN and the nurses have never taken industrial action ever before. So I think that context is really important.
And the leader of the RCN has made it clear the government have just absolutely point blank refused to negotiate with them. And I think that we’re in this situation because the government are acting in a hostile way towards these workers that kept us going through the pandemic.
Continue reading…Latest updates: Labour deputy leader says her expenses were necessary for work and accuses government of wasting taxpayer’s moneyMeanwhile, a transport minister, asked about the offer made to the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) in a bid to break the strikes impasse, has said he thought “a lot” of railways workers would “like to see this settlement happen”.Speaking to Sky News, Richard Holden said:The RMT has been offered a backdated pay rise of 5% for last year, compounded with a 4% rise for this year. That I think is a pretty generous offer, around 9% for the average rail worker and higher for those on the lowest incomes. I think that’s a good deal.The unions, I think they need to have the confidence, if they are still rejecting our offer, to go to the membership and say that’s what they want and they want a fresh ballot. They have not done that, they won’t ask their members for their views.This is the final offer from the government. We have done everything we can to facilitate talks.Well, first of all, the RCN and the nurses have never taken industrial action ever before. So I think that context is really important.And the leader of the RCN has made it clear the government have just absolutely point blank refused to negotiate with them. And I think that we’re in this situation because the government are acting in a hostile way towards these workers that kept us going through the pandemic. Continue reading…