Rail minister admits settling dispute months ago would have cost less than impact of strikes
18 January 2023, 18:26 | Updated: 19 January 2023, 05:41
A rail minister has admitted more money has been lost due to rail walkouts than it would have cost to settle the dispute with unions months ago.
Huw Merriman told a Transport Select Committee that vast sums racked up due to the industrial action has "ended up costing more" than settling the pay row.
However, he insisted that the action's "overall impact" on all public sector pay deals needs to be looked at.
Committee member Ben Bradshaw put it to Mr Merriman that "we're talking of a cost to the government of over a billion (pounds) so far" from the impact of walkouts, which have wrought widespread disruption to services for months.
He asked: "That would easily be enough money to have solved this dispute months ago, wouldn't it?"
Mr Merriman replied: "If you look at it in that particular lens, then absolutely, it's actually ended up costing more than would have been the case if it was just settled in that part."
But he said it was important to consider "the overall impact on the public sector pay deals", with multiple disputes across the public sector.
"We also have to look on the ability for the reforms that don't often get talked about, but they're absolutely vital as part of the package," adding, "It's the reforms that will actually pay for these pay deals and also make the railway more efficient in the long run as well."
Yesterday train drivers with the Aslef and RMT union announced further strikes after rejecting pay deals.
The RMT accused the government of using treating the wider economy as "collateral damage" following the rail minister's admission.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch wrote: "Today the government admitted that prolonging the rail dispute was part of a deliberate strategy that was dictated by the government's concern to keep down the pay of rail workers, nurses, ambulance workers and teachers.
"The wider economy and the business interests who relied on pre-Christmas trade were just collateral damage in that policy."
Mr Lynch also said the government had intervened shortly before Christmas to "torpedo" talks between the unions and train companies.
Mr Merriman insisted during the committee meeting the government has not "interfered in a negative manner" during talks aimed at resolving the on-going dispute over jobs, pay and conditions.
