The likelihood of a significant interruption to rail services this summer has increased as a result of the majority decision by train drivers to strike over compensation.
Campaigns for strike action were supported by members of the drivers union Aslef at eight different train companies.
On turnouts of more than 80%, Aslef members at Chiltern, LNER, Northern, TransPennine Express, Arriva Rail London, Great Western, Southeastern, and West Midlands Trains voted by a margin of about 9-1 in favor of strikes.
Strikes, according to Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan, are a “last resort,” but his union also wants salary increases “in accordance with the cost of life.”
It comes after Aslef members accepted an improved 5 per cent pay offer from ScotRail on Monday.
The union announced that its members had accepted proposals on pay and conditions from the newly nationalised rail operator.
The new strike action will raise eyebrows given that the average train driver salary is £59,000, rising to £71,000 for drivers on LNER’s East Coast trains. The average UK salary is £25,971.
It follows a strike by the Train, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) last month that caused the nation’s rail system to come to a complete stop.
Later in the summer, the RMT, led by flamboyant Mick Lynch, threatened to stage more walkouts.
Over the wage dispute that severely hampered services, RMT members launched three strikes.
Mr. Whelan stated of the strike action: “Strikes are always the final option.
We don’t want to inconvenience passengers – our friends and families use public transport, too – and we don’t want to lose money by going on strike but we’ve been forced into this position by the companies driven by the Government.
‘Many of our members – who were the men and women who moved key workers and goods around the country during the pandemic – have not had a pay rise since 2019.
‘With inflation running at north of 10 per cent that means those drivers have had a real terms pay cut over the last three years.
‘We want an increase in line with the cost of living – we want to be able to buy, in 2022, what we could buy in 2021.
‘It’s not unreasonable to ask your employer to make sure you’re not worse off for three years in a row.
‘Especially as the train companies are doing very nicely, thank you, out of Britain’s railways, with handsome profits, dividends for shareholders, and big salaries for managers.’
In May, members refused to work overtime or rest days as part of the pay dispute.
This led to hundreds of services being cut from timetables on May 23, with Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth saying it would provide greater certainty.
Aslef Scottish organiser Kevin Lindsay said: ‘Following a ballot on the improved offer negotiated with ScotRail, Aslef members have voted to accept the proposals on pay and conditions.
‘Aslef is a democratic, lay, member-led union, and I want to thank our members for their engagement and response to the ballot.’
In June, ScotRail offered train drivers a pay increase of 5 per cent following negotiations with the union.
The reduced timetable has affected a number of large events across Scotland, including Scotland’s World Cup qualifier match against Ukraine at Hampden Park and the TRNSMT festival in Glasgow.
As well as a 5 per cent pay increase, drivers will also get more money for rest day and Sunday working, driving instructor and maternity pay along with a policy of no compulsory redundancies for the next five years.
Aslef has balloted members at firms Arriva Rail London; Chiltern; Croydon Tramlink; Greater Anglia; Great Western; Hull Trains; LNER; Northern Trains; ScotRail; Southeastern; TransPennine Express; and West Midlands Trains.
Commenting on ASLEF joining the national rail dispute, RMT general secretary Mr Lynch said: ‘We congratulate our friends in ASLEF for their superb ballot result and the huge mandate they have for strike action on the railways.
‘It goes to show that railway workers across every grade from cleaners, catering staff guards, maintenance staff and drivers are fed up with real terms pay cuts, attacks on job security and working conditions.
‘When railway unions and others unite, they are an unstoppable force in the workplace and wider society.
‘Grant Shapps needs to stop messing around with his doomed Tory leadership bid and get back to focusing on resolving this dispute.
‘He continues to shackle both Network Rail and the train companies from reaching a deal with the RMT, something we have done repeatedly and successfully since privatization in 1993.
‘Mr. Shapps should either get around the table or get out of the way because at the moment, he is the major roadblock to a negotiated settlement.’
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: ‘It is very disappointing that, rather than committing to serious dialogue with the industry, Aslef are first seeking to cause further misery to passengers by joining others in disrupting the rail network.
‘The train drivers they represent earn, on average, just under £60,000 per year – more than twice the UK median salary and significantly more than the very workers who will be most impacted by these strikes.
‘Our railway is in desperate need of modernization to make it work better for passengers and be financially sustainable for the long term. We urge the union bosses to reconsider and work with its employers, not against them, to agree a new way forward.’
A spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group added: ‘We want to see rail unions engage with train operators over the reforms needed to secure a bright long-term future for the industry, including working with Aslef to deliver the more punctual, reliable services we know passengers care about.
‘Instead of causing further disruption to passengers and businesses, we urge the Aslef leadership to continue talks.’
It comes as The Transport Salaried Staffs Association has announced that hundreds of its members at Southeastern have also voted for strikes and other forms of industrial action over pay, job security and conditions.
The union has not yet named any dates for industrial action, but said it is now considering the next steps with workplace representatives.
General secretary Manuel Cortes said: ‘This is a great result for our union and comes hard on the heels of similar votes at a raft of other train operating companies, with results expected from our Network Rail members imminently.
‘The results demonstrate that our members are utterly determined to fight for their pay, jobs and conditions. They are right to do so amid the escalating Tory cost-of-living crisis and with a chaotic government hell bent on making swingeing cuts to our rail network while inflation rages.
‘It would be unwise for any rail company to ignore the feelings of our membership. We will soon speak to our workplace reps to consider the next steps in the coming days.
‘If ministers had any sense they would come to the table and sort this out, so we have a fair settlement for workers who were hailed as heroes in the pandemic.’