UK rail passengers will face disruption – yet again – as train driver union ASLEF and rail union RMT have both called for strike action in May amid long-standing industrial disputes.
Train drivers at 15 rail companies will walk off the job on Friday 12 May, Wednesday 31 May, and Saturday 3 June as ASLEF members seek a “fair deal on pay”.
Meanwhile, RMT members across 14 train operators will strike for 24 hours on Saturday 13 May after rejecting the latest pay offer from Rail Delivery Group (RDG), an industry membership body that includes operators and UK rail infrastructure manager Network Rail.
The strikes will coincide with major events such as Eurovision song contest and the FA Cup final and are expected to cause widespread disruption.
ASLEF members represent 96 per cent of the UK’s train drivers, while RMT represents around 40,000 rail workers. The latter has held a series of crippling nationwide stoppages since last summer in a long-running dispute with Network Rail and train operators over pay, conditions and jobs.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said the latest strike action comes after RDG reneged on original proposals following pressure by the government.
“No doubt [RDG’s] decision is due to pressure exerted on them by the Tory government,” he said. "Therefore, we have no alternative but to press ahead with more strike action and continue our campaign for a negotiated settlement on pay, conditions and job security.”
Commenting on the latest strike action, Business Travel Association CEO Clive Wratten said “it is disgraceful that the government and unions can’t coordinate to end the relentless industrial action that has forced the country to stop in its tracks”.
“As uncertainty over Britain’s transport reliability understandably grows, these strikes are a setback to Sunak’s push for the collaboration of British businesses. The unions need to stop pointing fingers and come to a reasonable solution with the government, to support their rail staff whilst accommodating inflation rates,” he added.
Rail operators affected by the strikes include: Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Great Western Railway, Greater Anglia, GTR Great Northern Thameslink, London North Eastern Railway, Northern Trains, Southeastern, Southern/Gatwick Express, SWR depot drivers, SWR Island Line, TransPennine Express and West Midlands Trains.