Rail union leader Mick Lynch says dispute could go on ‘indefinitely’

theguardian.com:

Rail passengers have faced another day of disruption, with the union leader Mick Lynch warning the dispute could go on “indefinitely” unless ministers intervene in talks.

Only 20% of train services across Great Britain were running on Thursday due to strike action over pay, jobs and conditions that involved more than 45,000 rail workers, who are members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) and TSSA unions.

Commuters were told to only try to travel if absolutely necessary, with further disruption planned on Friday and the weekend. In London, bus drivers and London Underground workers plan to strike in the coming days.

Lynch, the RMT’s general secretary, said the strikes could be prolonged “indefinitely” unless the government ended its stance of refusing to get involved in negotiations.

Speaking from a picket line outside Euston station in London, Lynch said: “Using taxpayers’ money to satisfy the anti-union agenda of the Tory party and seek to break the trade unions is shameful, and means the dispute will be prolonged indefinitely as the train companies don’t lose a penny as a result of the industrial action and therefore have no incentive to settle the disputes.

“Instead of waging an ideological war against rail workers, millions of voters would rather that the government allow for a fair negotiated settlement.”

The RMT says it has calculated that, including the previous and forthcoming industrial action, more than £120m of taxpayers’ money has been used to “bail out” private train companies to date.

In a letter to the transport secretary, Grant Shapps, Lynch said: “Your government has made the decision to use taxpayers’ money to bail out private train companies from being liable for revenue lost because of industrial