Sunday 29 May 2022 10:19 PM Barons behind rail strike threats rowing over 'arcane' practices and won't let ... trends now How rail strike unions are stuck in the steam age: Barons behind strike threats are rowing over 'utterly arcane' practices... and won't even let staff use phone apps Militant union RMT is fighting even the slightest changes to 'Spanish practices' The far-Left group set to announce series of strike dates within a matter of days They are said to be blocking staff from using phone apps to better communicate By David Churchill Transport Editor For The Daily Mail Published: 22:13 BST, 29 May 2022 | Updated: 22:13 BST, 29 May 2022 Viewcomments Rail unions threatening a summer of strikes have been accused of defending ‘utterly arcane’ work practices that make passengers and staff less safe. Industry and Whitehall sources say the militant RMT is fighting even the slightest changes to ‘Spanish practices’ – some of which date back more than 100 years. The far-Left union is set to announce a series of strike dates within days after thousands of its members voted in favour of walkouts last week. It is resisting government plans to shave £2billion off the rail budget by modernising the industry with new technology and wants pay rises for workers in line with inflation. The union’s boss, Mick Lynch, told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme that walkouts could go on ‘for a very, very long time’ as there was no sign of a deal being struck. Militant rail union RMT who is threatening a summer of strikes have been accused of defending 'utterly arcane' work practices that make passengers and staff members less safe. Mick Lynch, the Union's boss, pictured One senior industry source said resistance to changes had become so ‘absurd’ that the RMT was even blocking staff from using mobile phone apps to better communicate with each other. They said yesterday: ‘We’ve got some utterly arcane practices. We have individual functional teams that don’t cross-collaborate, who won’t even share the same van and who obstruct the introduction of technology. ‘The use of an app is regarded as a matter of negotiation with the RMT, even a communications app. One of the most recent disputes was over managers using FaceTime during Covid to talk to staff because that was a technology that hadn’t been consulted on.’ A Whitehall source said: ‘The railway is a public service, not a museum. Striking to protect practices from the steam age would be an act of self-harm.’ Mick Whelan, of Aslef, pictured left, which is also threatening walkouts this summer, said: ‘There are no Spanish practices. We have negotiated sensible agreements on how we sell our labour.' Pictured right is President of Aslef, Tosh McDonald It is estimated millions of pounds could be saved by updating maintenance work practices. These could include multi-skilling engineers from Network Rail, which manages tracks and signals, and replacing manual signal boxes with digital ones. The industry source added: ‘Two years ago three people died in two separate incidents doing work where the Rail Accident Investigation Branch said the work didn’t need doing. ‘Today’s working practices make the railway less safe both for workers and passengers and there’s compelling evidence.’ Commuters pictured waiting on a platform to catch a train toward central London at Clapham Junction station on January 10, 2017 after strike action by Southern Rail caused another morning of travel disruption in the British capital Sources say Network Rail engineers refuse to carry out repairs outside their own geographically assigned areas, even if the tracks are just a few miles away. Mick Whelan, of Aslef, which is also threatening walkouts this summer, said: ‘There are no Spanish practices. We have negotiated sensible agreements on how we sell our labour.’ A senior railway boss whose firm encouraged commuters to return to the office is still working part of the week from home. Jacqueline Starr, of the Rail Delivery Group, is said to commute to London twice weekly. The RDG said some weeks she is in the office four days. Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site (dailymail) and under his responsibility