Genuine question

[Darklane]

Can someone explain to me please something I don’t understand?
When Labour announced pay increases for certain sections one was for train drivers.
This is what I don’t understand as train drivers are not public sector workers, surely since the train services were privatised? Network Rail, yes I understand was not privatised but it is the train Drivers being given the increase who surely are employed by the various train operators like Virgin aren’t they? So how can the government give the increase & not the rail operators?

The passenger train services are privatised but they operate according to very tightly controlled government franchises. In some cases where the private operator on a train network has failed, the government directly runs those services. So it's not like a normal private business, which is appropriate given that it's a vital public service.

I think Labour cut the previous lot's micro-management of the industry and let the train operators settle.