Wigan MP Lisa Nandy backs striking railway workers

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union went on strike again this week in a dispute over jobs, pay, pensions and conditions.

A picket line was held outside Wigan Wallgate station on Wednesday to highlight their fight.

The RMT is holding a public meeting in Wigan town centre next month about the dispute and invited Labour MP Lisa Nandy to attend.

While she is not available, she has given her support to the trade union members.

A spokesman for Ms Nandy said: “Lisa is unfortunately unable to make this meeting, but she has offered to meet the RMT branch at an alternative time.

"Lisa fully supports our ticket office staff, station staff and cleaners, who need and deserve a pay rise after years of real-terms pay cuts and during this cost-of-living crisis, and she completely opposes the compulsory redundancies being proposed.

“It is disgraceful that the Transport Secretary chooses to attack the hard-working staff that keep our trains running, and it is time the Government did its job and got round the table with rail workers and the train operating companies.”

The comments come after reports that Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer had told frontbench MPs not to join picket lines during the strike and the dismissal of shadow transport minister Sam Tarry, who attended a protest at London's Euston station on Wednesday.

The RMT currently plans to carry out more strike action on August 18 and 20.