Latest updates: leader says unions have ‘duty to coordinate’ as workers face ‘paltry pay rises’

Good morning. Yesterday the RMT rail union announced further strikes over Christmas, as it advised members to reject a pay offer from Network Rail. My colleague Gywn Topham has the details here.

Rishi Sunak is chairing cabinet this morning and it would be surprising if the strikes, organised not just by the RMT, but by unions in other sectors too, were not a major topic of conversation.

Working people [are] having their wages lowered against inflation, and often their conditions ripped up. You hear in our industry, and in the CWU, the Royal Mail and British Telecom, it’s not just about pay. They’re offering very paltry pay rises in return for chopping up terms and conditions, and changes to working practices.

So it feels like a general attack by the employers and by the government and by organisations that are coordinating what they’re doing. So it would be foolish of unions not to coordinate themselves in response to those attacks.

Latest updates: leader says unions have ‘duty to coordinate’ as workers face ‘paltry pay rises’Good morning. Yesterday the RMT rail union announced further strikes over Christmas, as it advised members to reject a pay offer from Network Rail. My colleague Gywn Topham has the details here.Rishi Sunak is chairing cabinet this morning and it would be surprising if the strikes, organised not just by the RMT, but by unions in other sectors too, were not a major topic of conversation.Working people [are] having their wages lowered against inflation, and often their conditions ripped up. You hear in our industry, and in the CWU, the Royal Mail and British Telecom, it’s not just about pay. They’re offering very paltry pay rises in return for chopping up terms and conditions, and changes to working practices.So it feels like a general attack by the employers and by the government and by organisations that are coordinating what they’re doing. So it would be foolish of unions not to coordinate themselves in response to those attacks. Continue reading…