Strike action is pencilled in to hit railways across the country next week, with a fresh set of dates announced by the RMT union.
For two days, on September 15 and 17, a mass walkout involving 40,000 members of the union is due to take place, with the first date coinciding with a strike announced by Aslef train drivers, which means very little service across Britain’s railways will operate on that day.
Why are there rail strikes?
The RMT union are striking on September 15 and 17 over “jobs, pay, and working conditions”.
General secretary Mick Lynch said: “Network Rail and the train operating companies have shown little interest this past few weeks in offering our members anything new in order for us to be able to come to a negotiated settlement.”
Meanwhile, Aslef will strike on September 15 over a proposed pay cut to train drivers.
Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef, says: “The train companies have forced our hand. They want train drivers to take a real terms pay cut – to work just as hard this year as last, but for 10 per cent less. Because inflation is now in double figures and heading higher – much higher, according to some forecasts – and yet the train companies have offered us nothing.”
Which operators are involved in the rail strikes?
September 15: Avanti West Coast, Chiltern, CrossCountry, Greater Anglia, Great Western Railway, Hull Trains, LNER, London Overground, Northern, Southeastern, TransPennine and West Midlands Trains are likely to all be affected on this day with little to no service.
September 17: Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Great Western Railway, LNER, and Transpennine Express are likely to be hit by the RMT strikes. Expect around 20% of normal service between 7am and 7pm, with disruption likely to continue into the next day.
Are there any more strikes planned?
Yes. On September 26, a TSSA trike over pay is taking place with some members walking out on Network Rail, though it is thought the disruption will not be as severe as the two other planned days of strike action.
Could the rail strikes be called off?
Mick Lynch said: “We will continue to negotiate in good faith, but the employers and government need to understand our industrial campaign will continue for as long as it takes.”
So, there is always a chance a resolution will be found, though this was not the case in previous days of strike action over the summer.