UPDATED (2/7/22): Labour, Lib Dems or Tory, Same Old Story. Train Strikes: Tory Government Versus RMT Union - What Do The Local Unions Say and What Is The Impact on Somerset Residents?

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UPDATED (2/7/22)

We have received no response from Somerset Labour to our questions about the train strikes, which we sent by email to the email address they advertise. 

We have received no response from the Liberal Democrat Leader of Somerset County Council, Councillor Bill Revans.  

And not a single of Somerset's Conservative MPs have responded to our questions about the train strikes.

But the local RMT did respond. And so did the local TUC. So we published their responses.

We cannot be fairer than that. 

Labour, Lib Dems or Tory - same old story.

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UPDATED (24/6/22):

Ben McGrail of ITV News West Country has released this excellent report of the impact of the strikes and the opposing views that it has generated in Crewkerne, Somerset.

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Somerset Independents puts residents and workers first. We are concerned about the impact of the train strikes on Somerset's people - whether they work on the trains or whether they use the trains to get to and from work, or to and from school. The BBC has reported widespread disruption and concerns.

Do you live or work in Somerset?

Have you been affected?

Please get in touch via the Contact Form on the left of this website, or using the contact details at the link here. Or you can comment below (all comments are moderated).

We are not so concerned about the impact of the train strikes on people who do not live in Somerset, and who are coming to Somerset for Pilton (Glastonbury) Festival. 

Local media (e.g. purveyors of clickbait SomersetLive) seem to be more interested in those visitors than local residents. So we've asked them to give more attention to Somerset's residents and workers.

The General Secretary of the RMT has made a statement today, but we want to hear from local people. We have asked the local RMT union officials a set of questions, and we have asked the local TUC.

Barry West, Regional Organiser for the RMT, told us in response to our questions today:

4. What do you say to the Somerset residents who use the trains going to work or on holiday?

5. What do you say to the visitors to Somerset for Pilton (Glastonbury) Festival?

6. What do you say to the organisers of Pilton (Glastonbury) Festival, Glastonbury Festival Events Limited?

"We are disappointed that so many people are affected by this action that was the very last resort.

The dispute could and should have been avoided if those in power namely Grant Shapps untied the hands of those rail industry leaders and allowed them to get on with the negotiations directly with the RMT.

The government has interfered and continues to be involved, they may not be in the room but they are pulling the strings."

 

 

Robin Head of the local TUC, also of the National Education Union (NEU) told us in response to our questions 4,5 and 6:

 

"RMT members are trying to negotiate a settlement for their workforce and feel they are being blocked. It is a great shame about the inconvenience but the overarching aim is to achieve a better service for users. e.g. with no ticket office at Somerset stations what do users do when it goes wrong? As an example I went to London a couple of weeks ago and the ticket machine was faulty. If there had no been no ticket office I would have struggled to prove my ticket purchase. Please look at the RMTs list of concerns and be aware that there are many outstanding issues. This is a legitimate trade dispute. Working people have the right to withdraw their labour if employers do not properly engage with the issues."

 

Mr Head also told us, in response to our question:

 

7. Whether teachers of the NEU will also be going on strike in Somerset in solidarity with the RMT?

 

"No. That is not legal. We will be conducting our own separate indicative ballot in the Autumn specifically to do with teachers' salaries which have fallen 15% behind relative rates of pay in 2010 and like to fall further behind with such a high rate of inflation. This has lead to fewer teachers in Somerset causing very big recruitment and retention issues for Somerset schools."

 

Neither the RMT nor the local TUC representative answered our first 3 questions:

 

1. Is the RMT affiliated to Labour again, or not?

2. How much money the RMT has donated to any of the Somerset Labour CLPs or its campaigns?

3. What is Somerset Labour's position? We've asked again but they are being coy, having previously tweeted their support.

 

We are seeking responses from local Conservative MPs, Somerset Conservatives, Somerset Labour and Somerset Liberal Democrats.

 

It is worth noting that Somerset Labour's Twitter has been used to express support for the strikes, but as reported by The Mirror, the Labour Party led by Keir Starmer has issued an instruction to its "frontbench" MPs not to support the strikes or be seen on the picket lines. Labour MPs have claimed to not received the message.

 

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