Reacting to the RMT confirming next week's rail strikes will go ahead, Liberal Democrat Transport spokesperson Sarah Olney MP said:
"Grant Shapps has to resign. He has failed decent hard-working commuters who just want to get to the office, and families desperate for a summer holiday.
"The Government and union bosses are playing politics with people's lives and the country is sick of it. They are both as bad as each other.
"This week I uncovered that Shapps hasn't even met with the union bosses for well over a month. What on earth has he been doing all this time? Not bothering to avert a crisis is a sackable offence in any other work place.
"Our economy is going backwards, our taxes are spiralling and now our trains aren't running. The British public deserve better than a Government asleep at the wheel."
NOTES
Sarah Olney's parliamentary question to The Department for Transport revealed Ministers have not met with the RMT for over a month Question:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish the (a) number and (b) dates of times ministers in his Department have met with officials at the RMT union since 13 May 2022. (17072) Tabled on: 13 June 2022 Answer:
Wendy Morton: There have be no meetings between ministers and officials at the RMT union to discuss rail matters since 13 May 2022. The Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Security met with industry stakeholders, including the RMT, to discuss the seafarer protection nine-point plan on 9 June. The rail disputes are between individual employers and the trade unions and it would not be prudent for Government to intervene in this relationship. We encourage meaningful discussions and for the trade unions to return to the negotiating table in order to end these rail strikes which impact businesses, users and the general public. The answer was submitted on 16 Jun 2022 at 10:21.
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