On Thursday, the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) announced two further strikes this summer in addition to the one-day strike it scheduled earlier. The day before, members of the train drivers’ union, Aslef, announced a 24-hour Saturday stoppage for late July.
Both the RMT and Aslef are striking over pay and conditions. Despite talks with employers and the Government, unions are unhappy because they argue wage offers are well below inflation, amounting to a pay cut.
Employers argue that drivers, in particular, are well paid and are pushing for more modernisation on the railways to be tied into pay agreements. That is also proving to be a sticking point in negotiations.
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So, what are the dates when train services will be disrupted by strike action – and which services will be affected? Read on for our guide to the industrial action.
When are the UK train strike dates
Saturday, July 16
Members of the train drivers’ union, Aslef, will strike on Hull Trains only. It is likely that there will be severe disruption on this route.
Saturday, July 23
Members of the train drivers’ union, Aslef, will strike on Greater Anglia and Hull Trains. It is likely that there will be severe disruption on this day on these routes.
Wednesday, July 27
Members of the RMT at train companies and Network Rail will walk out for 24 hours. The last RMT strike day brought most of the UK rail network to a standstill.
The companies involved in the RMT strikes are: Network Rail, Chiltern Railways, Cross Country Trains, Greater Anglia, LNER, East Midlands Railway, c2c, Great Western Railway, Northern Trains, South Eastern, South Western Railway, Transpennine Express, Avanti West Coast, West Midlands Trains and GTR (including Gatwick Express).
Saturday, July 30
Train drivers at eight rail companies are set to stage a 24-hour Saturday strike on this day Members of Aslef at Arriva Rail London, Chiltern Railways, Greater Anglia, Great Western, Hull Trains, LNER, Southeastern and West Midlands Trains will walk out.
It is thought that only one in 10 services will be able to run on this day. However, there will be regional variations and you should check your rail operator’s website for service information.
Thursday August 18 and Saturday August 20
Members of the RMT at Network Rail and 14 train operators will walk out for two 24-hour strikes. Very few services are expected to run.
The companies involved in the RMT strikes are: Network Rail, Chiltern Railways, Cross Country Trains, Greater Anglia, LNER, East Midlands Railway, c2c, Great Western Railway, Northern Trains, South Eastern, South Western Railway, Transpennine Express, Avanti West Coast, West Midlands Trains and GTR (including Gatwick Express).
Is there any other industrial action?
Yes, white-collar staff belonging to the Transport Salaried Staff Association (TSSA) are involved in disputes with Avanti West Coast and others. TSSA station staff working for Avanti West Coast will join the July 27 stoppage.
What the unions and government have aid about the strikes
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “The rail industry and the Government need to understand that this dispute will not simply vanish. They need to get serious about providing an offer on pay which helps deal with the cost-of-living crisis, job security for our members and provides good conditions at work.”
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 general secretary 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.”
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “It’s incredibly disappointing that, just three days after their ballots closed, Aslef bosses have already opted for destructive strike action, instead of engaging in constructive talks. Not only that but, by seemingly co-ordinating strike dates around the Commonwealth Games, it’s clear union bosses are determined to cause as much misery as possible and derail an event the whole country is looking forward to.
“Train drivers, such as those Aslef represent, earn, on average, just under £60,000 – more than twice the UK average and significantly more than the very workers who will be most impacted by these strikes despite stumping up £600 per household to keep the railway running throughout the pandemic. Our railway is in desperate need of modernisation to make it work better for passengers and be financially sustainable for the long term.”
A Transport for Wales spokesperson said: “We’re committed to continuing our discussions with our trade union partners in line with our social partnership approach.”
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