Around one in five trains are expected to operate today as railway workers hold the first of three strike days this week.
Thousands of staff employed by Network Rail and 13 train operators are on picket lines today. They are due to walk out again on Thursday, June 23 and Saturday June 25 because of the dispute.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union are taking part in the strike. The dispute is about jobs, pay and conditions. But what does that mean?
Read more: Rail strike live updates as RMT staff walk out for first day of dispute
The RMT says operators and Network Rail are proposing new pay rates that do not rise in line with inflation. That, in real terms, means a pay cut, as their salaries are worth less than before. The union says staff have not had a pay rise over two years despite working throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
The RMT also says rail operators are seeking to bring in job cuts which could include compulsory redundancies. The union argues these job cuts would have safety implications on the rail network.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has refused to meet with the union in a bid to settle the dispute. He said the dispute is for unions and employers to settle.
Who is striking on the RMT rail strike?
Up to 40,000 staff working on railways and trains are taking part in the strike, the RMT says. It includes signallers, maintenance workers, ticket collectors and cleaners. Train drivers are - for the most part - not included in this dispute. ASLEF, not the RMT, is the union that represents most drivers. Its employees who work on the rail network and on trains, who are not drivers, who make up the most of those striking this week.
Why are RMT train and rail staff striking?
They argue that many of their members worked throughout the virus crisis and were hailed as ‘ Covid heroes’ but now face job cuts, changes to their working conditions and pay rises well below the rate of inflation following years of wage freezes.
The RMT says: "The rail companies have now proposed pay rates that are massively under the relevant rates of inflation, coming on top of the pay freezes of the past few years.
"At the behest of the Government, companies are also seeking to implement thousands of job cuts and have failed to give any guarantee against Compulsory Redundancies."
How many jobs are under threat?
Around 2000 to 2500 jobs are at risk, unions say. They also say there is a risk of compulsory redundancies.
What pay deal has been offered to the RMT?
RMT Secretary General Mick Lynch said that an offer of a 2% pay increase had been made, with the potential to go 3% if all of the reforms are accepted.
The unions point to the 11% rate of RPI inflation. Mr Lynch told LBC that members are looking for a rise of 7% to 8%.
What are railway companies saying
Steve Montgomery, Chair of the Rail Delivery Group, said: “These strikes will affect the millions of people who use the train each day, including key workers, students with exams, those who cannot work from home, holidaymakers and those attending important business and leisure events.
“Working with Network Rail, our plan is to keep as many services running as possible, but significant disruption will be inevitable and some parts of the network will not have a service, so passengers should plan their journeys carefully and check their train times.
“Taxpayers have provided the equivalent of about £600 per household since covid and passenger numbers are still only at around 75% of pre pandemic levels. We need to bring rail up to date so that we attract more people back and take no more than our fair share from the public purse.
“We ask the RMT’s leadership to call off these damaging strikes and continue talks to reach a deal that is fair to staff and taxpayers, and which secures a bright, long-term future of our railways.”
Tom Joyner, Managing Director at CrossCountry said: “We are of course disappointed by this unnecessary action and are sorry for the inconvenience this will cause. We are working with industry partners to offer the best service possible despite the actions of the RMT. We remain open to speaking with union colleagues to reach a compromise. However, if the strike goes ahead it will cause significant disruption.
Kathryn O'Brien, customer service director at Transpennine Express said: “It’s extremely disappointing that RMT has chosen to take strike action which will not only cause significant disruption for our customers, but will also damage the recovery of the rail industry.
“Like many other industries, rail is still recovering from the effects of the pandemic and the latest strikes – which follow almost five months of industrial action by RMT – only serve to put this recovery at risk.
“We remain open for talks with the union, but any talks must be realistic, affordable and take into account the context of the environment in which the rail industry is now operating.”
What does the RMT say?
RMT boss Mr Lynch says the union remains open to talks. He would like at least a 7% pay rise for members, to put salaries more in line with inflation
The union adds: "The RMT supports the campaign for a square deal for all working people in the face of the cost-of-living crisis, and our current campaign is a part of that more general campaign which means that public services have to be properly funded and all workers properly paid with good conditions."
How much do striking railway workers get paid?
According to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, the medium salary for all railway workers is £44,000. But the RMT calculates a figure of £33,000, as it excludes drivers, who are represented by another union, and includes cleaners. The RMT told BBC around 10,000 of its members are cleaners.
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