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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Kieren Williams

Fresh train strike misery as three more operators to walk out over pay dispute

Three more rail operators have announced they are going to stage strikes later this month in new disputes over pay, it has been announced, adding to the UK's summer of travel misery.

Train drivers from Hull Trains, Greater Anglia, and Croydon Tramlink are going to walkout on strike later on in June, Aslef has announced.

This comes only days after thousands of workers were confirmed to be taking part in three days of strikes later this month in a separate dispute.

Aslef announced strikes at the three companies were about separate pay rows while the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) served notice of an industrial action ballot.

Members of Aslef on Hull Trains will strike on June 26, at Greater Anglia on June 23 and on Croydon Tramlink on June 28 and 29 and July 13 and 14.

Greater Anglia mainline train at platform Ipswich railway station, one of the latest operators to announce a strike (Universal Images Group via Getty)

This means, combined with the recent Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union strike, that Brits will see a month of chaos travelling across the country.

In that dispute, the RMT union recently announced plans for a nationwide strike on June 21, 23, and 25, following the pay dispute. It would mark the biggest walkouts since 1989.

This was announced during the same week that a 24-hour strike on the London Underground on June 21, over a third separate row, caused chaos across the capital.

Croydon Tramlink, one of the three operators who announced today they were going to walkout over pay disputes (MyLondon - Grahame Larter)

Today’s announcement adds to a month of travel chaos that will see 50,000 workers walk out on June 21.

Brits hoping to enjoy themselves or escape on holiday this month may find their plans scuppered in light of the recent spate of strike announcements.

Transport around the capital was brought to a standstill this week in an underground strike, mirroring what it could look like for the entire country during the upcoming strikes.

The rail operators involved in June's massive strikes were Chiltern Railways, Cross Country Trains, Greater Anglia, LNER, East Midlands Railway, c2c, Great Western Railway, Northern Trains, Southeastern, South Western Railway, Transpennine Express, Avanti West Coast and West Midlands Trains.

But now Hull Trains, Greater Anglia, and Croydon Tramlink are all added to that huge number of striking operators.

A Class 170 Turbostar of Hull Trains, one of the three latest operators to announce a walkout (Getty Images)

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: "Railway workers have been treated appallingly and despite our best efforts in negotiations, the rail industry with the support of the government has failed to take their concerns seriously.

"We have a cost-of-living crisis, and it is unacceptable for railway workers to either lose their jobs or face another year of a pay freeze when inflation is at 11.1% and rising.

"Our union will now embark on a sustained campaign of industrial action which will shut down the railway system

"Rail companies are making at least £500m a year in profits, whilst fat cat rail bosses have been paid millions during the Covid-19 pandemic."

Lots of the strikes occurring this month have been caused by disputes over pay and job losses.

RMT rail workers say they have been "treated appallingly" despite their best efforts during negotiations, which were unable to find a solution.

On top of that, as rail companies pocketed half a billion pound profits they said, they were entitled to a fairer pay.

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