Rail workers announced two more days of strikes in August on top of strike action later this month, paralyzing the railways at the start of the Commonwealth Games and football season.
Over 40,000 members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) Union are expected to strike on 18 and 20 August. They are employed by Network Rail and 14 train operators and are protesting against job security, pay and working conditions.
Aslef, who represents the machinists, will walk out on Saturday, July 30 in a row over wages. Members of eight companies – Arriva Rail London, Chiltern Railways, Greater Anglia, Great Western, Hull Trains, LNER, Southeastern and West Midlands Trains – will take part in the strike.
The disruptions, which come during the busy summer holidays, are expected to affect sports fans attending the Commonwealth Games, which start in Birmingham on July 28, and the opening weekend of the English Football League.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said on Thursday night: “The rail industry and the government need to understand that this dispute is not going to just go away.
“The latest proposals from Network Rail have fallen short on pay and safety around maintenance work.
“And the train operating companies didn’t even make us a pay offer in the last negotiations.”
Strikes by Aslef members in July will come less than 48 hours after RMT action, meaning massive disruption throughout the week.
With the RMT coming out on July 27th and into the early hours of July 28th, chaos is expected over the next 24 hours.
Grant Shapps, the transport minister, slammed Aslef for refusing to try to reach a pay deal.
He said: “It is extremely disappointing that just three days after the election concluded, Aslef bosses have already opted for destructive strike action instead of engaging in constructive talks.
“Not only that, but by cynically arranging strike dates with the Commonwealth Games it is clear that union bosses are determined to cause as much misery as possible and derail an event that the whole country is looking forward to.”
Drivers are demanding a wage increase that will keep pay in line with inflation, which is currently at a 40-year high of 9.1 percent.
Mr Shapps said: “Machinists such as those represented by Aslef earn on average just under £60,000 – more than double the UK average and significantly more than the very workers who will be most affected by these strikes , despite raising £600 per household to keep the railway running throughout the pandemic.’
Mick Whelan, Aslef general secretary, said: “We don’t want to go on strike – strikes are the result of a breakdown in negotiations – and this union, since I was elected GS in 2011, has only gone on strike until this year, for a few days.
“We don’t want to inconvenience passengers – not least because our friends and families also use public transport and we believe in building trust in Britain’s railways – and we don’t want to lose money by striking.
“But we have been forced into this position by the rail companies led by the Tory government. Drivers at the companies we are striking at have received real pay cuts for the past three years – since April 2019.”
Rail operators typically provide a “Sunday service” – equivalent to 60% of a normal weekday – on the day following strike action.
The RMT announced its latest strike dates on Wednesday. They came after the union left just one in five trains running during a three-day strike last month.
An exit from Aslef is expected to leave just one in 10 services in operation.
The Telegraph reported that train operators are preparing for strikes by different unions to close in on each other, inflicting maximum damage on commuters or those going on holiday.
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