Union boss says UK rail strike talks to resume next week

One of the UK’s biggest unions accused the government of waiting until after this week’s crippling rail strikes before resuming talks over pay and working conditions.

Mick Lynch, the RMT’s general secretary, said negotiations with the Department for Transport, Network Rail Ltd. and train companies would resume on Monday Jan. 9.

“We could have met this week or we could have met last week during Christmas, but they decided to wait for the strikes,” Lynch said from a picket line outside Euston station in London.

He was speaking on the second of five days of train strikes, four of which are being conducted by the RMT. Train drivers from another labor group, Aslef, will hold industrial action on Thursday, leading to a complete cancellation of many parts of the network.

“I go into talks trying to create an agreement,” Lynch said. “I don’t go there just to try and wreck the talks. But it’s up to both parties to try and move to a position that we can all support.”

A spokesperson for the DfT said there would be talks next week but would not confirm the exact timing.