Rail Unions Deny Targeting Eurovision With Strike Action

Music fans dance and watch the Eurovision Song Contest Semi-Final 2 on a giant screen in the Eurovision Village on the riverside in Liverpool, England, on May 11, 2023. Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

Rail unions have denied allegations they are deliberately targeting the Eurovision Song Contest and other major public events with industrial action.

Members of the Rail, Maritime, and Transport union (RMT) will strike on Saturday—the day of the Eurovision Song Contest final in Liverpool, which the UK is hosting on behalf of Ukraine.

Aslef, the train drivers’ union, is striking on May 31, and June 3—the day of the FA Cup final.

Members of the train drivers' union Aslef on the picket line at Euston station in London, on May 12, 2023. Yui Mok/PA Media

Transport Secretary Mark Harper has accused the unions of “cynically targeting” the events.

The Department for Transport also said it is “hard to believe” Aslef would be “unaware of the huge impact” on Eurovision of its action.

But Asleft has insisted that it did not plan its Friday walkout to clash with Eurovision.

Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan told the BBC on Friday: “Strangely enough, I don’t really watch Eurovision, I didn’t know they had semi-finals.”

“If we were targeting Eurovision we would have done Friday, Saturday, and Sunday,” he added.

‘Disappointment and Frustration’

The Rail Delivery Group (RDG), which represents rail operators, said there will be reduced train services across the network between May 12 and June 3.

RDG chairman Steve Montgomery said: “The upcoming rail strikes called by the Aslef and RMT leadership will not only affect our passengers’ daily commute but will also impact those travelling from outside Liverpool and London to come to Eurovision and the FA Cup final, causing disappointment and frustration for those who have planned to attend.

A passenger looks at information boards during a train drivers’ strike, at New Street station in Birmingham, on May 12, 2023. Jacob King/PA Media

“It will also further burden our people who have already lost thousands of pounds at a time of financial strain.

“We understand the impact of these strikes on individuals and businesses alike, and we can only apologise for this unnecessary and damaging disruption.”

The RDG said that after many weeks of negotiations with the Aslef leadership it had made a “revised and fair offer” including a pay rise of 8 percent over two years.

But Aslef rejected the offer, calling it “risible and obviously unacceptable.”

‘Party-Pooper’

Anthony Smith, chief executive of watchdog Transport Focus, said: “For those planning to head to Liverpool, strikes could really prove a party-pooper.

“Many people will be infrequent or first-time train users so may not have realised how wide the disruption will be.

“Our message to all those travelling, for Eurovision or other reasons, is check before you go, and keep checking. Also, be aware trains that are running may be more crowded than you expect.”

Transport Secretary Mark Harper arrives for a government's Cobra emergency committee meeting at the Cabinet Office in London, on Dec. 14, 2022. Victoria Jones/PA Media

Harper, the transport secretary, said on April 30 that it was “very damaging” that the strikes were “specifically targeting the Eurovision Song Contest.”

He told Sky News: “We’re hosting it, but we’re hosting it for Ukraine. And I think cynically targeting events that hard-working, working men and women across the country are spending their money on to try and attend and targeting those I think is very cynical.”

But the RMT insisted that its strike on Saturday is not deliberately scheduled to prevent people from getting to the event.

RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch on May 1: “The reason we named that date is because it’s the last day of our mandate. Our mandate runs out and we have to get another one, and we have to give two weeks’ notice, so when the talks broke down it was the only day.”

PA Media contributed to this report.