BRITAIN will become a “ghost town” this week as militant rail unions launch another wave of crippling strikes.
Rishi Sunak will unveil tough new laws to crack down on strikes early in the New Year – but they will not avoid this bout of industrial action.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak
The PM is understood to have gone cold on proposals to ban ambulance drivers and firefighters from striking.
But he will give ministers Henry VIII Style powers to force public services – like hospitals, the fire brigade and schools – to ensure some staff still work throughout strikes.
Cabinet ministers would be able to set their own ‘minimum service threshold’ to soften the impact of industrial action.
He is also considering making it harder to call a strike by raising the threshold for action from 40 per cent of votes to 50 per cent.
And the time during which a union is allowed to call strikes after a vote could be halved from six months to three – curbing rolling action.
The proposals – which are still being finalised – will involve a massive dust-up with the unions and House of Lords – and could end up being challenged in the courts.
RMT union chief Mick Lynch on the picket line
In the meantime, Britain is set to be plunged into more rail misery as RMT members walk out on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
Pubs and restaurants will lose an estimated £2.5 billion in lost takings because of the devastating rail walkouts, business chiefs said.
Kate Nicholls, of UK Hospitality said: “Hospitality is facing a New Year hangover as rail strikes delay the return to work and make our town and city centres ghost towns for yet another week.
“This piles further misery on commuters and tourists.
“We cannot go into another year losing £2.5bn in sales. Enough is enough, this needs to end now.”
Despite the looming rail strikes, there have been no formal talks between the government and unions over the Christmas holidays and none are in the diary.
Rail sources said RMT chief Mick Lynch – the face of the railway strikes – wants to do a deal but is being “held captive” by more militant members of the union.
They said: “Mick is keen to do a deal but he has his hands tied by the executive committee.
“He is held captive by them – they decide whether or not to call off the strikes.”
Nurses and Ambulance crews will strike again later this month, while teachers are also expected to vote for action – meaning schools will close.
There are growing rumours the government will offer nurses a cash bonus and extra time off to end their strikes.
But one union insider said that would “open a Pandora’s box” as all other trade unions would demand the same deal to call off their strikes.
