Safety jeopardised if agency ban repealed


Lifting the ban on agency workers during strikes would be reckless and would endanger public safety, said TUC deputy general secretary Paul Nowak (see also page 4).

The government plans to amend the law to allow agencies to supply staff to replace striking workers in response to the national strike action by members of the RMT rail union last month.


RMT members voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action across Network Rail and the train operating companies. The union said the 89% vote in favour of strike action on a 71% turnout was “the biggest endorsement for industrial action by railway workers since privatisation”. 


The dispute concerns pay, jobs and safety. “Allowing agency staff to replace striking workers would undermine the right to strike and be extremely reckless,” said Nowak. “Bringing in less qualified and experienced staff to deliver important services would create genuine safety risks for the public and for the workforce.” 


TSSA transport union general secretary Manuel Cortes described the government as being “hell bent on endangering railway safety”. Last month, the TSSA began issuing ballots for strike action at Department of Transport-run train operating companies in an “escalating dispute” over pay, conditions and job security. Cortes warned there were “very real safety implications” and said: “Agency workers won’t be able to do any of the safety critical jobs our members carry out on the railways.”