Explainer-in-brief: Summer of Discontent, continued
Brace for more industrial action. The RMT, led by media sensation Mick Lynch, will be striking again on the July 27, right before the Commonwealth Games open in Birmingham. On top of that, the union has announced two additional strike days on August 18 and 20, in the middle of the holiday season.
Meanwhile, the train drivers’ union Aslef will strike for the first time in 27 years on the 30th of July. Train drivers, like the rest of the staff, are unhappy with the pay offer they’ve been given.
Last week, Mick Lynch admitted some progress has been made in the negotiations with Network Rail and the train operators. The RMT has been offered assurance of no compulsory redundancy for two years, and a pay rise of 6 per cent that could go up. But the deal “is not good enough”, said Lynch. Talks continue, but they’re unlikely to produce a deal before the next strikes.