In the ongoing conflict over salary, employment, and conditions, employees are planning to hold more strikes this month, putting commuters through another two days of train mayhem.
Rail, Maritime, and Transportation (RMT) union leaders have stated that their workers will go on strike on September 15 and 17.
During the two days of strike action, more than 40,000 RMT members from Network Rail and 14 train operating companies will go on strike.
The strikes, which are scheduled for the same day as the Aslef train driver walkout, are expected to “essentially shut down the railway network,” according to union bosses.
Train drivers at 12 rail firms will strike on September 15 as a result, the union ASLEF said on Wednesday.
Additionally, the TSSA union said yesterday that its members would strike for 24 hours on September 26 beginning at noon at nine different railway companies.
The strikes will cause more travel mayhem for commuters on Thursday and for sports events on Saturday, including Bournemouth’s September 17 away Premier League game against Newcastle that will be played across a 360-mile distance.
It’s also possible that it may affect the opening session of the Liberal Democrats conference in Brighton, which is scheduled to start on Saturday.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said today that there was “no option” but for the union’s members to go on strike.
However, the Department of Transportation (DfT) criticized the choice today.
A DfT spokesperson said: ‘Yet again union leaders are choosing self-defeating, coordinated strike action over constructive talks, not only disrupting the lives of millions who rely on these services but jeopardising the future of the railways and their own members’ livelihoods.
‘These reforms deliver the modernisations our rail network urgently needs, are essential to the future of rail, and will happen, strikes will not change this.’
The RMT today announced they will hold a walk-out on September 15 and 17. Pictured: Mick Lynch, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT)
Empty platforms at London King’s Cross railway station during the last TSSA strike on August 20 which was with the RMT
Meanwhile, Mr Lynch took aim at Network Rail, rail firms and Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, who he accused of ‘shackling the rail industry’ from making deals with the unions.
He said: ‘Network Rail and the train operating companies have shown little interest this past few weeks in offering our members anything new in order for us to be able to come to a negotiated settlement.
‘Grant Shapps continues his dereliction of duty by staying in his bunker and shackling the rail industry from making a deal with us.
‘We will continue to negotiate in good faith, but the employers and government need to understand our industrial campaign will continue for as long as it takes.’
Negotiations between the union and rail industry have been ongoing but there has been no breakthrough or new offers from either Network Rail or the train operating companies in the national rail dispute.
Earlier this week, train drivers’ union Aslef said its members will walk out at 12 train operating companies on Thursday, September 15 in a dispute over pay that has already resulted in two other days of industrial action over the last five weeks.
Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, Greater Anglia, Great Western Railway, Hull Trains, LNER, London Overground, Northern, Southeastern, TransPennine Express and West Midlands Trains will all be affected.
In addition, members of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) at nine train operating companies as well as Network Rail will also walk out from midday on Monday, September 26 until the same time the following day.
The operating companies affected by the TSSA action will be Avanti West Coast, c2c, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Great Western Railway, LNER, Southeastern, TransPennine Express and West Midlands Trains.
The TSSA strike will coincide with the Labour Party conference in Liverpool. As a Labour-affiliated union, the TSSA said it will be looking for support from delegates and MPs to join them on picket lines – but Sir Keir Starmer will not join striking workers and insisted today that he would instead be focused on forming the next government.
The TSSA said it remains in talks with Network Rail about the possibility of a settlement to avert industrial action, but is urging Transport Secretary Grant Shapps to intervene in a bid to break the deadlock.
It follows seven previous rail strikes in recent months by Aslef, the TSSA and the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) that have caused chaos for commuters and those travelling around the UK for events and summer holidays.
The TSSA’s leader Manuel Cortes has written to both Mr Shapps and bosses of Department for Transport-held train companies in recent days. He wants the Government to allow operators to ‘return to the negotiating table with a revised deal which improves on the insulting 2 per cent offer which was rejected earlier in the summer’.
Mr Cortes said yesterday: ‘The dead hand of Grant Shapps is sadly stopping train operating companies from making a revised, meaningful offer.
‘Frankly, he either sits across the negotiating table with our union or gets out of the way to allow railway bosses to freely negotiate with us, as they have done in the past.
‘The reason for the current impasse lies squarely at Shapps’ door and passengers are paying a high price for his incompetence and intransigence.
‘I welcome the fact that negotiations are ongoing with Network Rail and the gap towards a resolution is narrowing. Time will tell whether a deal can be done to avert our next strike.
‘I will be standing on our picket line in Liverpool and will be encouraging fellow delegates and Labour MPs to do likewise, so they can rightly show they stand shoulder to shoulder with those fighting the Tories’ cost-of-living crisis.’
Labour leader Sir Keir again ruled out joining workers on a picket line yesterday. He told Channel 5’s Jeremy Vine: ‘When it comes to industrial action, I completely understand why people are voting to go on strike.
‘I understand how much they’re struggling – wages have been stagnant for the best part of 10 years, we’ve now got a cost-of-living crisis, so prices are going up.’
Asked if he would join TSSA workers on the picket line he said: ‘No. I want a Labour government, I want to be a Labour prime minister. You can’t sit around the Cabinet table resolving issues and then walk onto a picket line, they are different jobs.’
Meanwhile Aslef’s general secretary Mick Whelan said today as his union announced the new strikes: ‘We regret that, once again, passengers are going to be inconvenienced.
‘We don’t want to go on strike – withdrawing our labour, although a fundamental human right, is always a last resort for a trade union – but the train companies have forced our hand.
‘They want train drivers to take a real terms pay cut – to work just as hard this year as last, but for 10 per cent less.
‘Because inflation is now in double figures and heading higher – much higher, according to some forecasts – and yet the train companies have offered us nothing.
‘And this for train drivers who kept Britain moving – key workers and goods around the country – throughout the pandemic and who have not had an increase in salary since 2019.’
He added: ‘We want the companies – which are making big profits, and paying their chief executives enormous salaries and bonuses – to make a proper pay offer to help our members keep up with the increase in the cost of living.
‘That’s why we are calling on the companies today to do the right thing – the decent thing – and come back to the negotiating table with an offer our members can accept.’
Aslef members have already walked out for 24 hours on Saturday, July 30 and on Saturday, August 13 at the 12 train operators.
The union added that this year it has ‘successfully concluded pay deals with nine companies’ – those being DB Cargo; Eurostar; Freightliner Heavy Haul; Freightliner Intermodal; GB Railfreight; Merseyrail; MTR Elizabeth line; PRE Metro Operations; and ScotRail.
Manuel Cortes, leader of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association, joins the picket line at London Euston station on July 27
Aslef added that it is in negotiations with Direct Rail Services and Transport for Wales, and has put an offer from Colas IM to its members.
A Department for Transport spokesman said: ‘For the eighth time this summer, union leaders are choosing self-defeating strike action over constructive talks, not only disrupting the lives of millions who rely on these services but jeopardising the future of the railways and their own members’ livelihoods.
‘These reforms deliver the modernisations our rail network urgently needs, are essential to the future of rail, and will happen. Strikes will not change this.’
It comes as another rail union warned that a funding deal for Transport for London (TfL) will lead to fresh strikes.
The RMT said the announcement of a long-term funding arrangement by the Government and TfL yesterday will attack Tube workers’ pay and pensions.
The union said driverless Tube trains were included in reforms called for by Mr Shapps as part of the deal.
RMT, along with other transport unions, will be holding a Save London Transport rally tonight with special guest US senator Bernie Sanders.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: ‘This deal negotiated in secret by TfL and Government ministers will likely see our members pensions attacked and further pay restraint in the future, coupled with driverless trains.
‘Grant Shapps’ attack on Tube workers would be unacceptable at any time but in an escalating, cost-of-living crisis it is shameful and will be resisted through further strike action.
‘The rally tonight will send a message that RMT and other transport unions will not tolerate attacks on workers’ pay and conditions or cuts to public services.’