Train drivers at eight rail companies will walk out on July 30 in another strike over pay.
The Aslef union, which represents train drivers, announced the day of industrial action after talks broke down over a pay offer to keep pace with the increase in the cost of living. The move comes just a day after another national strike was announced by the RMT union, which represents rail workers like guards and signalling staff.
That next RMT strike is scheduled for July 27. This means that as things stand, there will be two national walk outs on the rail network in just four days at the end of the month.
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Announcing the July 30 action today, Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan said: "We don’t want to go on strike – strikes are the result of a failure of negotiation – and this union, since I was elected GS in 2011, has only ever been on strike, until this year, for a handful of days.
"We don’t want to inconvenience passengers – not least because our friends and families use public transport, too, and we believe in building trust in the railways in Britain – and we don’t want to lose money by going on strike. But we’ve been forced into this position by the train companies, driven by the Tory government. The drivers at the companies where we are striking have had a real terms pay cut over the last three years – since April 2019.
He added: "And these companies are offering us nothing, saying their hands have been tied by the government. That means, in real terms, with inflation running ahead at 9%, 10%, and even 11% this year, according to which index you use, that they are being told to take a real terms pay cut. And that is not acceptable.
"Strike action is, now, the only option available but we are always open to talks if the train companies, or the government, want to talk to us and make a fair and sensible offer."
The July 30 action will impact Arriva Rail London; Chiltern Railways; Greater Anglia; Great Western; Hull Trains; LNER; Southeastern; and West Midlands Trains – will strike on Saturday 30 July.
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