Department for Transport written question – answered at on 6 December 2022.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of ongoing industrial action on the rail freight industry.
Rail freight services are significantly affected by RMT strikes, with approximately 20% of freight services operating on strike days and returning to around 70% on the day after a strike. The Government continues to work closely with rail freight operators and Network Rail to support them to continue to run services across the network and move as much freight as possible, particularly critical services, during industrial action.
The continuing industrial action at a time of fiscal constraints on the Government and financial pressures on the freight industry is no doubt having an adverse impact on consumers, the freight industry and taxpayers.
We are very clear that it is for employers and Trade Unions to negotiate the details of essential workforce reforms that would enable an affordable pay deal. Ministers role is to facilitate and support the ongoing discussions between the rail industry and Trade Unions regarding workforce reform and pay.
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