RMT Chief Signals Potential Strike at Future State-Run Rail Network

Eddie Dempsey, leader of the RMT union, has hinted that his members could strike against Great British Railways once the organisation is fully operational in the coming years.

Speaking to Politics Home, Dempsey suggested that nationalisation of passenger trains—a key Labour policy—could lead to industrial action depending on how negotiations unfold.

“That will depend on what comes out in the negotiations,” he said, adding, “There are some things that are going to be difficult to deal with.”

He also reflected on the impact of previous governments’ limited investment in new rail technologies, noting that the union had “benefited in a weird way” from this lack of modernization.

Dempsey, widely regarded as a tougher figure than his predecessor Mick Lynch, has already signalled his willingness to take a hard line. Earlier this year, he formally declared a dispute with Network Rail over pay, even though negotiations are not scheduled to start until 2026.