Rail strikes: photos of worker solidarity on the picket lines
- Text by Huck
- Photography by Guy Smallman
Yesterday (27 July), the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) kicked off their second wave of strikes. Around 40,000 RMT members walked out as part of the action – the latest of several taking place this summer.
Rail staff who worked through the pandemic face pay freezes and hundreds of job cuts. It’s why in May, union members voted overwhelmingly for action in a dispute over pay and job losses. The RMT is demanding a pay rise of between seven per cent and eight per cent – a moderate demand, given that UK inflation has climbed to 9.4 per cent with the cost of living crisis only set to worsen. On top of this, many rail workers haven’t had a pay rise since 2019, meaning their wages are worth far, far, less than they were pre-pandemic.
The RMT has rejected an eight per cent pay offer staggered over two years from Network Rail, which is conditional on changes to working practices, rules on redundancies and work-life balance. Accepting this offer would result in “the stripping out of thousands of jobs,” said Eddie Dempsey, the RMT’s Senior Assistant General Secretary in an appearance on Jeremy Vine, “and also the introduction of a lot more unsociable working. People who work more nights and unsociable hours die earlier than they might otherwise would have done.” Additionally, Network Rail’s offer is conditional on “modernising reforms” which the union claims will make conditions for passengers and rail workers unsafe.
Dempsey added: “That’s the only company we’ve received any type of offer from. The more than other dozen train companies have offered us zero, nothing – except for job cuts.”
Yesterday, the Labour Party was embroiled in controversy over the decision to sack Sam Tarry, the Shadow Transports Minister, after he joined the picket line at Euston London Station. Mick Lynch, General Secretary of the RMT, appeared on Times Radio yesterday and spoke about the sacking. “[It is] a very sad day for the Labour Party – the name gives it away,” he said, “[a] sad day when people like Keir Starmer… are playing up to the agenda of Liz Truss and others”.
Photographer Guy Smallman went down to Euston Station yesterday to capture the strike action.
Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
You might like
A stark, confronting window into the global cocaine trade
Sangre Blanca — Mads Nissen’s new book is a close-up look at various stages of the drug’s journey, from production to consumption, and the violence that follows wherever it goes.
Written by: Isaac Muk
“Like skating an amphitheatre”: 50 years of the South Bank skatepark, in photos
Skate 50 — A new exhibition celebrates half a century of British skateboarding’s spiritual centre. Noah Petersons traces the Undercroft’s history and enduring presence as one of the world’s most iconic spots.
Written by: Noah Petersons
Venice Biennale will not award artists from Israel & Russia due to war crime accusations
Art Not Genocide — Both countries will still be allowed to exhibit work at their respective pavilions, but be excluded from judging considerations, as they have leaders facing arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court.
Written by: Noah Petersons
In photos: Columbia Hike Society turned a laundrette into a gear hub
Dirtbags — It kicked off the initiative’s latest season, which will feature 30 guided treks across the UK in 2026, with cleaning and repair stations, and upgrades to well-worn tech.
Written by: Noah Petersons
Eating concrete with London Skate Mums
Parental steeze — Founded during the pandemic, the group has ballooned into a community, giving mothers of various ages and abilities space to pull tricks, fall and express themselves. Sydney Lobe meets them at the legendary Southbank Undercroft.
Written by: Sydney Lobe
Confronting America’s history of violence against student protest
Through A Mirror, Darkly — In May 1970, two separate massacres at American college campuses saw deaths at the hands of the state. Naeem Mohaiemen’s new three-channel film memorialises the brutality.
Written by: Miss Rosen
