Grant Shapps accused of ‘advocating fire and rehire’ to end rail strikes

theguardian.com:

The transport secretary was accused of “advocating fire-and-rehire” tactics after he warned that the changes sought by rail companies could be imposed on workers.

Grant Shapps told Sky News on Friday that he could enact legislation referred to as a “section 188” to force through some of the measures at the heart of the current strikes.

“If we can’t get this settled in the way that we are proposing, which is [asking unions], ‘Please put the deal to your membership,’ then we will have to move to what is called a section 188; it is a process of actually requiring these changes to go into place so it becomes mandated,” he said.

“That is the direction that this is moving in now.”

But union leaders said Shapps – who could lose his job in a reshuffle when the new Tory leader takes office – was “desperate” and “out of touch” on a further day of travel disruption.

Manuel Cortes, the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) general secretary, said: “This is yet more desperate stuff from Shapps intended to distract from the real issues in the rail dispute. He’s now actively advocating fire and rehire.

“Grant Shapps is touring TV studios spouting anti-worker nonsense when it’s actually within his gift as transport secretary to resolve this dispute. At every turn, his actions ramp up the dispute and make it harder to get a resolution.”

The TSSA said section 188 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act is a duty requiring employers to consult trade union representatives, not a mechanism for imposing unilateral change.

On Friday, Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) workers took strike action over issues including jobs and pensions, halting most tube services in London.

There was also disruption to bus services in west and