Unions tell ministers to stop ‘hiding behind’ pay review bodies in strike talks

TUC and Unison say government is not negotiating in good faith, while PM accuses union leaders of being unreasonable'

Union leaders have told ministers to stop hiding behind" pay review bodies in winter strike talks amid warnings that industrial action on the railways could continue for six months.

As a rolling wave of industrial action looms, Frances O'Grady, secretary general of the Trades Union Congress, and Christina McAnea, the general secretary of healthcare union Unison, accused the government of refusing to negotiate in good faith and told the chancellor: Now is not the time for smoke and mirrors. Now is the time for genuine negotiations."