Nigel Farage has warned union bosses redundancies “are coming” regardless of the upcoming train strikes
The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union has announced a Tube strike on June 21, while its members at Network Rail and 13 train operators will walk out on June 21, 23 and 25.
While members of Unite at Transport for London (TfL) and London Underground will join the walkout on June 21 in growing disputes over pay, jobs and pensions.
Nigel Farage
GB News
Strike action is set to cripple the London Underground later this month
Kirsty O'Connor
The strikes are being described as the biggest outbreak of industrial action in the industry in a generation.
But speaking on GB News, Nigel said the 11.1 percent pay rise rail workers are looking for is too high, before also hitting out at RMT secretary-general Mick Lynch.
Nigel said: “I have to say, that during the pandemic, the railways had to be bailed out by £16billion of public money.
“Much of our network effectively has actually been nationalised, they’re running at a loss.
“And even though London and other cities feel like they are back to normal, train travel is 25 percent lower than it was before the pandemic.
“I would argue to Mick Lynch and others, that actually while I understand they want more money for their members, they’re lucky not to have suffered mass redundancies already because that is the state of our railways.
“And to ask for an 11.1 percent rise, well of course they want the retail price index number not the consumer price index number which gives our official inflation rate at nine percent."
He continued: “The Government of course are resisting, but it’s not to say that the standoff with the rail unions is not the beginning perhaps of something rather bigger.
“The last big strike on this scale was in 1989, but those of us old enough to remember the 1970s knew that it was strikes, strikes, strikes, one after another and if the Government was to give in to this union, all that does is further add to inflationary pressure.
"So I would argue Mr Lynch isn’t justified at all, you’re going to have to accept a pay rise that is below the rate of inflation.
“And yes you must fight hard to try to make sure the number of redundancies is as low as it possibly can be, but with 25 percent fewer people travelling on the train, I’m sorry to say Mr Lynch redundancies are coming.”