National rail strikes will continue this month, a union leader warned today, saying “nobody is coming to the table” to find a solution.
Mick Whelan, secretary general of the Aslef train drivers’ union, said the strike planned for the end of this month will mean virtually no service in the affected areas.
he told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge On Sunday program: “That makes us sad – we’d much rather talk to find a way out, but unfortunately no one comes to the table.”
Members of Aslef at Arriva Rail London, Chiltern Railways, Greater Anglia, Great Western, Hull Trains, LNER, Southeastern and West Midlands Trains will depart on July 30 due to a wage dispute. All services are expected to be interrupted.
Earlier this week it was announced that employees of Network Rail and Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) will go on strike for 24 hours on July 27.
Mr Whelan has said Aslef members have not had a pay rise since 2019, which is the driving force behind their strike.
He said the union has not yet given an “exact figure” on the pay raise it is seeking.
“Most people don’t understand that no one in the rail industry has had a three-year pay rise… and the cost of living crisis is affecting all workers,” he said on Sunday’s Sky News program.
He added that taking action “saddens” the union, saying: “We would rather talk to find a way out, but unfortunately no one comes to the table.”
When asked if he thought the average machinist salary of around £59,000 was already considered a lot for people outside the industry, he said: ‘Probably for a lot of people, and I look at other workers and think they must have what he had.
“We’re not going to get into this politics of jealousy debate. For us it’s about everyone being entitled to a pay rise.’
He added that there are “many traditionalists who occasionally would like to see (the Labor Party) stand up and stand with the workers more often.”
“I’ve seen an awful lot of what they’ve been doing behind the scenes, so I’ve seen a tremendous amount being done. I just think we should communicate more now and then.’
Mick Whelan, secretary general of the Aslef train drivers’ union, said the strike planned for the end of this month will mean the affected areas will have “virtually no service”.
Aslef members at Arriva Rail London, Chiltern Railways, Greater Anglia, Great Western, Hull Trains, LNER, Southeastern and West Midlands Trains depart on 30th July
Drivers on Greater Anglia will also strike on July 23, while those on Hull Trains will strike on July 23, in addition to yesterday’s action (July 16).
Earlier this week it was announced that employees of Network Rail and Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) will go on strike for 24 hours on July 27.
Network Rail services will be affected by the RMT strike, as will Chiltern Railways, Cross Country Trains, Greater Anglia, LNER, East Midlands Railway, c2c, Great Western Railway, Northern Trains, South Eastern, South Western Railway Transpennine Express, Avanti West Coast, West Midlands trains and GTR.
It also includes the Gatwick Express, adding to the travel problems of those who want to travel abroad during school holidays.
Members of the Transport Salried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) will also strike on pay, job security and conditions on the same day (July 27).
The TSSA strikes will affect South East services between London and Kent, as well as parts of East Sussex.
Stations that may be affected include London St Pancras, Victoria, Charing Cross and Cannon Street, Dover Priory, Ramsgate, Ashford International, Dartford and Sevenoaks.
Edinburgh Waverley Station: Commuters have been warned that some areas will experience virtually no service during planned strikes later this month
Members of the TSSA who are headquartered at West Midlands Trains, Great Western Railway, Greater Anglia and TransPennine Express are currently undergoing a voting process to determine whether to join the union campaign.
TSSA members, along with 14 other train operators, will also depart on August 18 and 20.
The government has proposed new minimum service requirements to address the ongoing problem, which would require a certain number of trains to run during a strike.
But ministers have admitted it could take some time to draft new laws.