Train Drivers Announce Another Round of Rolling Strikes
Disruption expected after the May Bank Holiday weekend
There have already been 16 days of strikes in the 21 month dispute
April 22, 2024
ASLEF, the train drivers’ union, has announced another series of strikes across train operating companies as well as a new overtime ban.
If the strike proceeds, the main days of disruption will be Tuesday 7 May when South Western Railway, Southern and the Gatwick Express will be affected and Wednesday 8 May when Great Western Railway drivers are due to walk out.
In addition, there will be an overtime ban between 6 (the Bank Holiday Monday) and 11 May.
The strike days across different operators are as follows:
Tuesday 7 May: c2c, Greater Anglia, Great Northern, Thameslink, Southeastern, Southern, Gatwick Express, South Western Railway main line and Island Line
Wednesday 8 May: Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Great Western Railway and West Midlands Trains
Thursday 9 May: LNER, Northern Trains and TransPennine Express
Earlier this month a strike by drivers across the rail network led to a substantial reduction in services including no trains at all on the Hounslow Loop which calls at stations such as Chiswick, Kew Bridge, Brentford and Syon Lane.
The dispute is over pay and Mick Whelan, ASLEF’s general secretary, said, "It is now a year since we sat in a room with the train companies - and a year since we rejected the risible offer they made and which they admitted, privately, was designed to be rejected."
A year ago, drivers were offered two consecutive annual pay rises if they accepted industry-wide changes to training, and changes to work patterns at individual operators.
A spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group said, "This wholly unnecessary strike action called by the ASLEF leadership will sadly disrupt customers and businesses once again, while further damaging the railway at a time when taxpayers are continuing to contribute an extra £54m a week just to keep services running.
"We continue to seek a fair agreement with the ASLEF leadership which both rewards our people, gives our customers more reliable services and makes sure the railway isn't taking more than its fair share from taxpayers."
ASLEF Drivers on London Underground were due to strike on Monday 8 April and Saturday 4 May but this action was called off after the union said that key issues had been successfully resolved.
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