He moved quickly to sack Sam Tarry after the shadow transport secretary defied orders by giving television interviews alongside strikers in London. It came as Aslef announced another strike on Saturday 13 August affecting nine rail companies, in addition to the planned action this Saturday. Meanwhile, unions have expressed anger at the government’s plans to tighten industrial action laws, with RMT leader Mick Lynch suggesting he would back a general strike if Liz Truss became prime minister on a platform to “collective action is effectively prohibited”. A package of measures set out by transport secretary Grant Shapps – a backer of Rishi Sunak’s bid to succeed Boris Johnson as prime minister – has been denounced as “undemocratic” by the TUC, while Unite said it would face “fierce and prolonged resistance” from workers . Sir Keir warned his party’s shadow ministers on Tuesday not to join the protests in a one-day walkout by RMT members seeking a better pay offer. “Labour in opposition should be Labor in power,” said Starmer, who was mocked by the Tories for failing to punish such action during a previous round of strikes. “And a government doesn’t picket, a government tries to resolve differences.” A Labor spokesman said: “This is not about showing up on a picket line. The members of the front desk sign the collective responsibility. This includes approving media appearances and speaking at agreed frontbench positions. “As a government-in-waiting, any breach of collective responsibility is taken extremely seriously and for these reasons, Sam Tarry has been removed from the front bench.” But Mr Tarry, a former TSSA transport union official who helped run Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership campaign, said he was “proud” to join the striking rail workers. Sam Tarry (centre) joined the RMT picket line outside Euston station (King) “It has been a privilege to serve on the Labor bench for the past two years and to have the opportunity to speak up for hard-pressed workers who deserve much better than the treatment they have received from this corrupt-touch government,” said the Ilford South MP . “I remain committed to supporting striking rail workers and campaigning for a Labor victory at the next general election, which I will fight relentlessly from the backbenches.” And he warned that the Labor leadership was in “direct conflict” with unions over the strikes, revealing in an interview with LBC that he had received calls from seven union general secretaries – six of them affiliated to the party – who were “fuming”. looting. TSSA general secretary Manuel Cortes said Mr Tarry “did the right thing and stood with rail workers who are striking for justice and safety at work”. “Labour needs to wake up and smell the coffee,” he said. “If they think they can win the next general election while pushing back the seven million union members, they are delusional. “We expect attacks from the Tories, we don’t expect attacks from our own party. As a Labor union, our union is ashamed of the actions of the Labor Party leadership and the anti-Labour anti-union message it sends. “This is a bad day for our movement. And if Keir Starmer does not understand the basic concept of solidarity on which our movement is built, then he is not fit to lead our party.” Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Shapps said he wanted to finish Margaret Thatcher’s “unfinished business” by curbing the power of trade unions. After introducing legislation to allow agency workers to be used as strikers, he tabled plans for additional measures including:
Prohibition of strikes by different unions in the same workplace within a specified period of time A limit of six pickets in critical locations and a ban on threatening language New ballot requirements each industrial action period and a minimum of 50 per cent, compared to 40 per cent of those now eligible to vote Increase the minimum strike notice from two to four weeks Minimum strike service levels on critical infrastructure such as railways
“The default strategy adopted by the RMT and others in industrial relations – their occasional, routine, brutal resort to the shock weapon – must end,” Mr Shapps said. “Only then will this country move into a high-productivity, high-wage 21st century economy for the benefit of all workers.” TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady described Mr Shapps’ package as “an attack on the fundamental right to strike… anti-democratic and anti-labour”. “While millions struggle to make ends meet, ministers are falling over themselves trying to find new ways to limit workers’ ability to bargain for higher pay,” he said. And general secretary Sharon Graham said: “If Grand Sapps had his way, we’d all still be in the lab.” Describing the current cost of living crisis as “the latest episode in a long-running war for workers’ living standards”, Ms Graham said: “I will not apologize for demanding and winning fair pay rises for my members and any action for effective The removal of striking ability will be met with stiff and prolonged resistance.’ Earlier this week, Ms Truss promised “tough action to stop unions crippling the country” if she becomes prime minister, including legislation to impose minimum service levels on critical national infrastructure. He also promised to raise the ballot threshold from 40 to 50 percent to make it harder for union bosses to secure support for industrial action. Mr Lynch predicted “a huge response from the trade union movement” if Ms Truss’s plans go ahead, saying his union would support a general strike, but acknowledged it was a decision for the TUC.
