Train strike: Chiltern, Northern, TransPennine Express and London Tramlink drivers to walkout
Train drivers at Chiltern, Northern, TransPennine Express and London Tramlink have all voted to go on strike – spelling more misery for commuters across England.
Members of the Aslef union will walkout of their jobs as part of a long-running dispute over pay and conditions, it was announced this afternoon.
The union said the results of the votes, which were overwhelmingly in favour of the strikes, shows ‘just how angry our members are’.
No date has been set yet for the strikes on the Chiltern, Northern and TransPennine Express routes.
Drivers and other union members will hold industrial action on London Tramlink, which is based in Croydon, on September 12.
It is likely to spell more misery for commuters trying to get to work, who have already faced multiple strikes over the last few months as unions call for pay increases and safeguards to conditions and pensions.
The Aslef union has this afternoon announced strikes at three regional rail and one tram operator. Pictured is a union member on the picket line outside Paddington Station during strikes on August 13
No date has been set yet for the rail strikes, with the union saying votes were overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action
TransPennine Express, which runs services across northern England, could see strike action in the coming months
The votes to hold industrial action on the railways were all more than 9-1 in favour of strikes, with turnouts of over 80 per cent.
Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef, said strikes were always the last resort, adding: ‘You can see from the votes – and the turnouts – just how angry our members are.
‘These are the men and women who moved key workers and goods around the country during the pandemic, yet have not had a pay rise since 2019.
‘With inflation running at north of 10 per cent – and set to go much higher – several train companies are saying that they want their drivers to take a real-terms pay cut. Their attitude is ‘suck it up’ – and that stinks.
‘We now have mandates at 12 companies.
‘After our one-day strike on August 13, the Rail Delivery Group, the pressure group which represents the interests of the privatised train operating companies, asked for talks. Those talks were strained, but quite constructive.
‘There were no concrete proposals but dialogue will, we hope, continue.
‘That’s why we are calling on the companies to come to the table with a proper proposal to help our members, their drivers, buy this year what they could buy last year.
‘That is the way to prevent another strike and all the disruption that causes. The ball is now firmly in the train companies’ court.’
Aslef workers at Northern, which services the north of England and part of the midlands, have also voted to strike
The strike on London Tramlink is set to be held on September 12 and comes after multiple strikes on the route in June and July.
The union says drivers and other staff whose pay has been frozen for almost two years, have been offered a 3 per cent pay rise, while RPI inflation has soared to more than 12 per cent.
Finn Brennan, Aslef’s full-time organiser on Tramlink, said: ‘There has been no contact from Tramlink management and no new offer since our last strike in the middle of July.
‘It seems FirstGroup, which operates the tram system on behalf of TfL, doesn’t care about either the welfare of their staff or the impact on their passengers of more disruption.
Members of the Aslef union will walkout of their jobs on London Tramlink on September 13 in a dispute over pay. Pictured is London Tramlink at East Croydon train station
‘Their offer means a huge wage cut for staff who face being unable to heat their homes and pay their bills this winter.
‘We are having to strike again because management are not prepared to make anything like a fair offer that reflects the real cost of living in this country.
‘FirstGroup are prioritising the pay and perks of their bosses above a fair deal for staff.
‘Staff on Tramlink are absolutely right to refuse to accept a pay cut so that fat cats can get even fatter.
‘We will be calling on local political leaders to join us on the picket line to show support for workers fighting for a fair deal to help them cope with the cost-of-living crisis.’
