Aslef General Secretary Mick Whelan (centre) with striking railway workers on a picket line outside London Euston Station. Photo: EDDIE MULHOLLAND for The Telegraph.
Passengers across the UK are facing further unrest after train drivers' union Aslef and underground workers' union RMT announced further strikes.
Aslef members have timed their latest strikes to disrupt the Conservative Party conference. The union has so far called 12 one-day strikes in a 16-month wage dispute.
The latest strikes will force 16 train companies to cancel all services, and a ban on overtime on certain days will seriously disrupt the network.
Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan said: “While we regret having to take this decision, the action is we don't want to lose a day's wages or disturb passengers when they try to travel by train — the government and employers have forced us into this position.
Our members did not do this. Currently, wages have been rising for four years — since 2019 — and this is wrong, given that prices have risen sharply in that time.
“Train drivers quite reasonably want to be able to buy now what they could buy four years ago.”
Meanwhile, London Underground workers have announced new strikes in a dispute over job cuts and working conditions.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch says station staff «play a vital role» in helping passengers on rail and tube travel. Photo: Peter Byrne/PA
Union general secretary Mick Lynch said: “Staff workers are fed up with their livelihoods being threatened by job losses and attacks on their conditions.
“Station staff have a vital role to play in helping vulnerable passengers gain access. network and ensuring the metro is a safe environment for passengers. These job cuts and attacks on conditions will lead to increased staff shortages at stations, temporary closures and increased passenger dissatisfaction.
“TfL budgets have been slashed, but the savings made by cutting staff at stations will be reduced to zero and will lead to an unacceptable deficit.
“This strike will lead to the closure of the metro and we call on Mayor Sadiq Khan to urgently meet with us to discuss this issue.”
When will the strikes take place in trains and metro?
The Aslef trade union will hold strikes:
- Saturday, September 30 – train strike
- Wednesday, October 4 – train and metro strike
- Friday, October 6 – metro strike
Deputies will introduce ban on overtime work on the railway network:
- Friday, September 29.
- Monday, October 2, to Friday, October 6.
Affected railway companies:
- West Coast Avanti
- C2C
- Caledonian Sleepers
- Chiltern Railways
- Cross Country
- East Midlands Railway
- Gatwick Express< /li>
- Great England
- GWR
- GTR Great Northern Thameslink
- Heathrow Express< /li>
- Island Line
- Northern Trains
- South East
- Southern
- Gatwick Express
- Southern Main Line -Western Railway
- Stansted Express
- South Western Railway
- Stansted Express
- South East
- Southern
- Gatwick Express li>
- SWR Depot Drivers
- TransPennine Express
- West Midlands Trains
< li>LNER
Advice for traveling during train strikes
National Rail is warning passengers to expect “significant disruption” on strike days. Services may also be interrupted and start later the next day.
National Rail has advised passengers:
- Use the Trip Planner. Passengers should check the times of each strike.
- Use the Live Trains page for the most up-to-date arrival and departure information.
- Plan ahead and check before travel. . This includes checking your entire journey, especially if you are traveling on the first and last trains of strike days.
Ultimate London commuter city Station ticket closures
Almost all ticket offices at stations are closing and staff are moving to platforms and concourses, according to the Rail Delivery Group (RDG). Ticket offices will remain open only at the busiest stations.
Posters will be posted at stations informing passengers of possible closures. The Government will make a final decision on which positions will be cut following consultation. It is unknown how quickly the first offices will close, but the closure program is expected to last three years.
Why is Aslef on strike?
Aslef members are going on strike to demand higher wages.
The union criticized the government for failing to meet its negotiating team — general secretary Mick Whelan, assistant general secretary Simon Weller and executive committee president Dave Calf.
The last time they met with employers' representatives, Rail Delivery Group, as part of the agreed post-pandemic structure of the Rail Industry Recovery Group in April.
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Mr Whelan added: “Do you remember Where's Wally?” So what we want to know is where is Harper?
“The last time we saw the Minister of Transport was in December.
“The last time we saw Hugh Merriman, the Minister of Railways, in January.
“And the last time we saw the railway companies was in April.
“Nothing since then. Nada. Zilch. Not a letter, not an email, not a text message, not a phone call, not a WhatsApp. Not a word!”
Do you support the ASLEF drivers’ strike?
This article is updated daily with the latest news.
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