Last train strikes live: London commuters suffer fourth consecutive day of chaos as RMT launches new 48-hour strike

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Ail commuters faced a fourth consecutive day of travel disruption on Friday as RMT union members began a new 48-hour strike.

The strike on Network Rail and 14 train operators means that only about 20% of normal services will run with trains starting later and ending earlier.

Strike strikes again TfL mainline services in London with severe delays to Elizabeth Line trains operating between Paddington, Reading, Liverpool Street and Shenfield.

The London Overground, Circle and Hammersmith & City lines were also badly affected while the Bakerloo line was partially suspended.

Meanwhile, Rishi Sunak revealed that he has invited union leaders for talks on Monday.

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“We want to have an honest conversation with all union leaders about what is responsible, what is reasonable and what is within our country’s reach when it comes to payment,” he said during a visit to a school in London on Friday morning.

The latest train strike comes on the heels of a halt to train drivers on Thursday in Aslife Union causing widespread disruption.

Mick Whelan, Asliff’s general secretary, warned that it was “inevitable” that further strikes would take place unless the deadlock was broken.

He noted that strikes could escalate, saying that train drivers wanted to go “harder and faster” after years of not receiving a pay raise.

The talks are expected to take place early next week, but unions continue to accuse the government of blocking the deal.

Live UpdatesView latest updates 1673017932 Warn customers to keep an eye on train times as services will end early

Southeastern has warned commuters to check train times as the limited train services operating today are set to begin winding down in the early evening.

The rail company also urged people to avoid catching final trains to and from London where possible, warning they were likely to be “extremely busy”.

1673013607 Plans made by ministers to meet union leaders on Monday ‘too little, too late’ – Liberal Democrats

Christine Jardine, the Liberal Democrats’ cabinet office spokeswoman, said: “It’s too little, and it’s too late. People have already died waiting for ambulances because of these hurt strikes, all because Rishi Sunak refused to come around the table with the workers.”

“Businesses lost money and commuters could not get to work after weeks of chaos. The human toll and economic damage from these strikes was devastating.

Christine Jardine

/ PA

“Rishi Sunak should apologize to the country for taking so long to do the right thing and sit down and negotiate properly. Weeks were wasted and the public is now exhausted after the services have stopped.

“Rishi Sunak proves he is just like his predecessors by letting the country sink into chaos. He is just as bad as Boris Johnson and Liz Truss.”

Mick Lynch accuses Ben Sheppard of parroting Rail Network lines in a heated controversy

RMT boss Mick Lynch has accused ITV’s Ben Sheppard of once repeating Network Rail bosses in a firefight on Good Morning Britain.

After being confronted with the idea that strikes could be called off if only 2,000 RMT members changed their votes, Lynch responded angrily.

He told the presenter: “Well, you’re just repeating company lines over there for them. I don’t know why you chose to do that.”

He joked about the 2:1 ratio for those who voted against the deal, adding, “In any football match I’ve seen if you get two and the opposition gets 1 then you win the game.”

In the viral clip, Ben Sheppard admitted he got the numbers from Network Rail.

Pictured: RMT members strike outside Ashford International station

Railway staff outside Ashford International Station in Kent during the station express strike on Friday

“Hope” talks with union leaders will be “constructive”

Rishi Sunak said he was “optimistic” that talks with union leaders can be “constructive” and “we can find a way through this”.

The prime minister was asked if Monday’s talks with union leaders would include discussions about “this year’s salary” during a visit to a school in London.

Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers’ General Secretary Mick Lynch during an RMT union sit-in outside London Euston Station on Friday

/ AFP via Getty Images

Mr Sunak told broadcasters: “What we have said is that we want to have a fair and honest conversation with all union leaders about what is responsible, what is reasonable and what is within our country’s reach when it comes to payment.

We believe these conversations need to happen. That’s why we invited everyone to have those talks on Monday and I hope those conversations are constructive and we can find a way through that.”

1673002824 Sunak does not rule out that people will be fired for not going to work under new laws

Rishi Sunak has not ruled out dismissing people for not going to work during strikes under proposed new legislation to ensure minimum levels of service.

Asked for a second time whether people could be fired for not going to work under the proposed new strike law, the prime minister told broadcasters on Friday: “I fully believe in the role of unions in our society and the freedom to strike for them.

Mr Sunak visits Harris Academy in Battersea on Friday

/ Reuters

I also believe that this must be balanced against the right of ordinary working people to go about their lives without any major disruption.

“That’s why we’re going to put in place new laws, shared with countries like France, Italy, Spain and others, that will ensure that we have minimum levels of safety in critical areas like fires, like ambulances, even when there are strikes and you know your health will be protected.”

“I think that’s perfectly reasonable and that’s what our new laws will do.”

The government called on union leaders to ‘talk to the big boys about what’s at hand’

Rishi Sunak says the government has invited union leaders for what he hopes will be a “grown-up” conversation on Monday about what’s on hand.

Speaking to broadcasters on a visit to a school in southwest London, the prime minister was asked if the proposed legislation could lead to nurses being sacked for striking, and if it was his ambition to go ahead and make some strikes in vital services illegal.

“Yesterday the government wrote to all the union leaders inviting them to hold talks on Monday,” said Mr Sunak.

The Prime Minister’s comments came while visiting Harris Academy in Battersea

/ Reuters

“We incredibly value the important work that our public sector employees do, especially our nurses, and we want to have an honest, big conversation about what is affordable, and what is responsible for the state.

“Those invitations have gone out and I hope those meetings will be held on Monday so we can have a productive conversation and find a way around that.”

1673000531 Severe delays in a number of subway services

Severe delays are now affecting Circle, Elizabeth and Hammersmith & City lines, due to knock-on effects.

There are minor delays on the Central Line too, while the faulty train at Gospel Oak causes severe delays on the London Overground between Willesden Junction, Clapham Junction and Richmond.

For live service updates, visit the TfL website.

1673000919 Public support for strikes has “declined”, but is “very high”, says union president

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said public support for their strike had “taken a toll” but was still “extremely good”.

“We’ve had four weeks of continuous work on this latest stage,” he said Friday morning.

We swayed public opinion a bit, but it’s very high. It’s in the mid-40s – I think 45 percent is the latest poll – and that’s a pretty good result in the middle of an industrial strike.

“We expect that to come back as people get past this last stage.

“Our numbers are at record highs for the Industrial Labor Campaign. They are for nurses, teachers, administrators, and everyone else.”

Mick Lynch: Government ‘incompetent and unable to understand rail’

The RMT’s general secretary, Mick Lynch, accused the government of being “incompetent” and “incapable” of understanding and managing the railway service.

“The rail service is in a desperate situation,” Lynch said from the picket line at London’s Euston station on Friday.

The companies that run them and the government that oversees them have shown themselves to be incompetent and unable to understand and run the railways on a day-to-day basis.

RMT President Mick Lynch speaking outside Euston on Friday

/ PA

When we are not on strike, passengers are told at this station and every other station, that because of a shortage of staff trains are not running.

“At the same time, they are telling me at the negotiating table that they want to make thousands of your members redundant.

“So there is something wrong with the way this railway is run. But there is something wrong with the way all the public services are run, and that is why the workforce in these services is now in revolt.

“The government has to take control and come to the negotiating table with all these differences, and say, ‘We want to work with you and settle these differences and come to an agreement.'”

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