The Christmas rail strikes will be “disastrous” for the public as Britain braces itself for further travel chaos over the festive period, according to Diane Abbott.
The shadow Home Secretary criticised Southern Rail, which is locked in a bitter dispute with union chiefs over plans to introduce a “Driver Only Operation”, urging the public to remember “it takes two to cause a strike”.
“It is not just the trade union, it is also the problems and the incompetence of some management, and Southern Rail is an example of that,” Ms Abbott said.
"Of course we think about the public we serve, and, of course, these strikes are going to be very disastrous, if they all go ahead, for the public over Christmas time, but people do have a legal right to strike.”
Her comments came after her Labour colleague Meg Hillier, Public Accounts Committee chairman, said union chiefs needed a “wake-up call” about the impact on hard-working people over Christmas.
"I think it's absolutely right people should have the right to strike, but I think it is a very unfortunate combination for people travelling, workers, at a particularly difficult time of year,” she told Sky News.
"And I think that all trade unions, even though they are fighting for their rights, need to really think about the impact on the people they are actually there to serve, their customers, or their passengers.
"And I think that there needs to be a bit of a wake-up call about the impact on hard working people who are trying to get to work, or go on holiday. And I think that if they are not careful they could be shooting themselves in the foot.”
The RMT has held 22 days of strike action since April to dispute Southern’s plans to change the guard’s role to "onboard supervisor” — checking tickets and helping passengers but not opening or closing the doors.
Members of Aslef, the drivers’ union, held three days of strikes last week in protest, closing the entire Southern network on each of the strike days.
RMT members will also walk out on Monday 19 and Tuesday 20 December, with a four-day walkout planned across the New Year from Saturday 31 December to Tuesday 2 January.
Drivers will then strike for most of the second week of the New Year: Monday 9 to Saturday 14 January.
Conservative Home Secretary Amber Rudd also criticised the unions, calling for an end to "this miserable period".
“It is totally unacceptable that our local area and communities will suffer further strikes over driver-only operated trains when they already run safely across much of the UK network, and when current staff will take home the same pay following the changes proposed by the train company,” Ms Rudd said, according to the Daily Telegraph.
“Southern's plans, opposed by the unions, will lead to better journeys for passengers. I call on both sides to come together and bring an end to this miserable period of strikes and industrial action suffered by our constituents.”
It is not just the railways likely to cause chaos for Britons travelling over the festive period, dubbed the "Christmas of discontent".
Planned industrial action is likely to be carried out by rail, postal, and airport workers.
Up to 4,500 British Airways cabin crew based at Heathrow airport are to strike on Christmas Day and Boxing Day in a row over pay and conditions.
1,500 Swissport check-in staff, baggage handlers and cargo crew at 18 UK airports are planning a 48-hour strike from December 23 in a pay dispute.
Union Unite will hold talks with Swissport next week in an attempt to avert the action.
Virgin Atlantic pilots will also work "strictly to contract" from December 23 over a union representation dispute.
4,000 Post Office workers will strike for five days from December 19 in a dispute over job security and pensions, with talks between the Post Office and Communication Workers Union breaking down last week.
