BRITAIN: Rail strikes across southern England planned for next week looked set to escalate last night as union leaders and the government clashed over public services and private sector investment. Rachel Donnelly reports from London.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) began a 48-hour walk-out over pay on Arriva Trains Northern at midnight and in a move described by managers as "cynical" the same union yesterday changed the date of next week's 48-hour strike on South West Trains (SWT) to extend the dispute over four days.
Talks aimed at resolving the RMT/SWT dispute, which is over pay and disciplinary procedures, broke down at the weekend and with the fourth strike this year on routes serving London and southern England looming, RMT decided to roll out their industrial action to cover most of the working week.
Instead of a 48-hour strike beginning on February 12th, the strikes will now be held for 24-hours from midday on February 11th and midday on February 13th, disrupting four working days.
RMT's acting general secretary, Mr Vernon Hince, accused SWT of adopting measures to prolong the dispute, such as training managers and other "willing stooges" to perform RMT members' duties.
But SWT's managing director, Mr Andrew Haines, said the revised dates of strike action merely demonstrated "new heights of cynical disregard" by the RMT.
With both sides digging in over the rail dispute, the fall-out over British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair's "reformers versus wreckers" speech on the future of public services continued to be felt as union leaders insisted they supported reform and should not be targeted for criticism. Downing Street did little to take the heat out of the row, insisting Mr Blair's targets were the Conservatives and those who remained critical of investment or reform of public services and union leaders had to speak for themselves.
But growing increasingly angry with Mr Blair, the GMB union - which will run a campaign in today's newspapers using a photograph of a nurse with the question: "Is she one of the wreckers Tony" - warned greater private sector involvement in public services could be "Labour's poll tax".
Earlier, as details emerged of a second driver in four days who had their car stolen by a violent attacker, or carjacker, the Home Secretary, Mr David Blunkett, pledged to "smash the gangs" and bring in tougher sentencing for violent criminals. He also outlined plans to increase the number of open prisons.