Labour members show support for striking rail workers in Carlisle and Workington

Mark Fryer, the leader of Cumberland Council, stopped to speak to workers outside Carlisle Train Station, while a number of Copeland Labour Party members turned out to support rail workers in Workington.

Mr Fryer said he spoke to workers about the closure of ticket offices, the impact of having no guards on trains, rolling stock and the possible closure of the maintenance depot at Whitehaven.

He said: “I took the opportunity to speak to them because I wanted to know what the issues were. It is about pay but it’s probably more about conditions and health and safety.

“Yes, it’s about pay and the cost of living crisis but I was also conscious about all the other issues that were being linked into the dispute and wondered why there was such strong feeling from ordinary people who work on the railways.

“It’s clear that this needs sorted out and the Government need to intervene for the ordinary travelling public.”

Jessica Banks, RMT Union branch secretary for Workington, said: “Enough is enough. There should be no job cuts or eroding of our terms and conditions to line the Tory government’s pockets and their fat cat friends.”

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Cllr Tony Lywood said: “We came to support the rail workers in their campaign for better pay and conditions.

“I listened to Grant Shapps, the transport minister, sound off on the radio about restrictive practices on the railways. This is a minister of a government that has presided over 10 per cent inflation, the highest taxes for a decade and a dreadful economic performance.

“Worse still it has allowed 100 of millions of pounds in profits go to foreign owned railway companies while starving our railways of the investment it needs.”

Craig Johnson, RMT regional organiser, said: “It’s sad that people are inconvenienced by strike action but we are heartened by the public support and understanding that we have received even from those inconvenienced. Nobody wants strikes, we all go to work to earn money, not to lose it taking strike action. A strike is something we do as a last resort. Inflation is running at 11.8 per cent.

“Rail workers haven’t had a pay rise for nearly three years and the offers given by Network Rail are derisory and non-existent from the train operating companies.

“The offers that have been made are also conditional on a huge cuts agenda - to include closing all station ticket offices in Britain, including Workington, Whitehaven, Carlisle and Barrow as well as Penrith, Oxenholme, Windermere, Ulverston and Grange. Cutting 3,000 safety critical track maintenance staff.

“Cutting train catering provision on intercity routes. Looking again at introducing forms of driver-only operation, which undermines the safety role of the guards, conductors and train managers.

“In this strike we are defending ourselves, services to passengers and railway safety.”

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