UK December Train Strikes: Beginning this week, commuters will have to deal with yet another round of strikes and rail disruptions as train drivers get ready to walk off the job once more in the lead-up to Christmas.
Travellers have suffered 18 months of disruptions since unions started their pay dispute with the government and train operating firms. This interruption is the most recent blow to them.
Everything you need to know about the upcoming round of industrial action is provided below:
When are the strikes happening, and which train companies are they affecting?
In contrast to past strikes, the upcoming wave of action will see various operators walk out on different days across the nation.
Walkout dates are as follows:
December 2, Saturday: LNER and EMR
Sunday, December 3: WMT, Great Northern Thameslink, Chiltern, and Avanti West Coast
Tuesday, December 5: Greater Anglia and C2C
Wednesday, December 6: on the Island Line, the SWR main line and depot, Southeastern, Southern/Gatwick Express
Thursday, December 7: GWR and Cross-Country
Friday, December 8: TPT and Northern
December 1–9: From Friday, December 1 to Saturday, December 9, no Aslef member will accept an overtime assignment.
I believed that train strikes were resolved. Why are there more of them?
During the 18-month disagreement, Aslef has called 14 one-day strikes, severely disrupting services throughout the nation.
Since June 2022, members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union have also gone on strike. They are currently voting on a proposal to end their disagreement, though.
As part of the agreement, the union will put a stop to work until at least April. In return, all members may get a lump sum payment of at least £1,750 before the holidays.
While it hasn’t provided an update on the most recent strikes, National Rail has previously alerted travellers to the possibility of “significant disruption” on strike days.
UK December Train Strikes: Guidelines
It is advised by National Rail that travellers:
- Make use of the trip planner. Travellers ought to confirm near each strike date.
- For the most recent information on arrivals and departures, see its Live Trains page.
- Make a plan and make sure before you go. Taking the first and last trains on strike days means reviewing your entire itinerary.
The latest walkouts, according to the Aslef union, will “ratchet up the pressure” on the government and train companies to provide train drivers their first salary increase in almost four years.
“We are determined to win this dispute and get a significant pay rise for train drivers who have not had an increase since 2019, while the cost of living has soared,” Aslef General Secretary Mick Whelan stated.
“The Transport Secretary advises that we present the offer to our members, but he has not been seen in public during this argument.
The minister doesn’t seem to get that we have overwhelmingly mandated more industrial action based on large turnouts since the Rail Delivery Group’s (RDG) ridiculous offer in April.
“Our members have voiced their opinions, and we are aware of them. They have overwhelmingly voted in favour of strike action in order to get a fair pay increase, and each time they do so, they are formally rejecting the April offer.
“The RDG made the offer knowing full well that it couldn’t and wouldn’t be accepted—a land grab for all our terms and conditions.”
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December Train Strikes
In the past 12 months, Aslef has successfully negotiated wage agreements with 14 businesses, including freight companies, open-access operators, Eurostar, and passenger carriers operating in devolved transport regions of Scotland and Wales.
Then it continued, “This is an English dispute that the Conservative Government has brought up at Westminster.
As a result of government involvement, we offered the train operating companies (TOCs) a way out.
To address the cost-of-living crisis, we recommended a sizable raise for all drivers, across all participating organisations.
Due to varying terms and conditions, additional issues might require separate handling by companies.
“Uncoupling the carriages, so to speak, would have provided a way out for the Government and the TOCs, as well as an opportunity for us to address any adjustments and productivity they desire at the company council level.
Some TOCs observe Sundays as working days, while others do not. Not everyone can and will fit into one size.
“Until the train companies and/or the government sit down and negotiate with us in good faith, we will continue to take industrial action.”8
