Members of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF) train drivers union have declared their intention to stage walkouts on Friday, 1 September, and enforce overtime bans on Saturday, 2 September, causing disruption to railway services across Britain. This announcement comes amidst an ongoing dispute over pay, conditions, and safety that has been ongoing since June 2022.
The ASLEF union, which represents train drivers, has reported that a total of 16,000 drivers are poised to participate in the action next month. This move follows a series of strikes that have already taken place as part of the ongoing conflict, amounting to 11 days of disruptions thus far.
In a simultaneous move, the National Union of Rail, Maritime, and Transport Workers (RMT) has also planned a strike on Saturday, 26 August. The combined impact of these actions means that roughly 20,000 rail staff, including both drivers and other personnel, are anticipated to participate in the strikes on the specified dates.
The affected train companies encompass a wide array of operators, including Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, c2c, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Greater Anglia, GTR Great Northern Thameslink, Great Western Railway, Island Line, LNER, Northern Trains, Southeastern, Southern/Gatwick Express, South Western Railway, TransPennine Express, and West Midlands Trains. The strikes are poised to result in significant disruptions and cancellations across these networks.
The Rail Delivery Group (RDG), representing train operators, has emphasized that the union’s leadership has not yet presented what it deems a “fair and reasonable offer” to its members. The RDG urged the ASLEF leadership to consider the substantial financial challenges facing the rail industry and collaborate to find a resolution.
The Rail Delivery Group’s proposal includes an increase in the average driver’s base salary, calculated for a four-day workweek without overtime, from £60,000 to nearly £65,000. The previous offer, an 8% pay raise over a two-year period, was rejected by the union in April. ASLEF countered that most drivers have not received a pay increase for the past four years and found the previous offer inadequate.
ASLEF’s General Secretary, Mick Whelan, expressed reluctance in resorting to these actions, blaming the train companies and the government for their unwillingness to engage in constructive discussions. Whelan stated, “We don’t want to take this action, but the train companies, and the government which stands behind them, have forced us into this place because they refuse to sit down and talk to us.”
As the ASLEF and RMT unions press forward with their strikes, the railway industry braces for the impending disruptions and uncertainties that these actions are likely to bring.
Thousands of ASLEF train drivers at 16 operators are to take further strike action next month as part of a year-long dispute.
