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Every week after the RMT union referred to as off its newest spherical of rail strikes, the union Aslef has introduced its members who’re drivers for 12 prepare operators will stage a stroll out on the finish of the month.
Aslef members at Avanti West Coast; Chiltern Railways; CrossCountry; East Midlands Railway; Nice Western Railway; Higher Anglia; London North Japanese Railway; London Overground; Northern Trains; Southeastern; Transpennine Categorical; and West Midlands Trains will strike for twenty-four hours on Saturday 26 November.
It’s a part of an ongoing dispute over pay; Aslef claims that, regardless of partaking in trade talks, its negotiators have acquired “no provide on pay”.
Mick Whelan, Aslef common secretary, stated: “We remorse that passengers might be inconvenienced for an additional day. We don’t wish to be taking this motion. Withdrawing our labour is at all times a final resort for a commerce union.
“We’ve got come to the desk, as we at all times will, in good religion however whereas the trade continues to make no provide – because of the dodgy deal they signed with the DfT – we’ve no selection however to take strike motion once more.
“They need drivers to take an actual phrases pay minimize. With inflation now nicely into double figures, prepare drivers who stored Britain shifting by the pandemic at the moment are being anticipated to work simply as onerous this 12 months as final 12 months however for much less. Most of those drivers haven’t had a rise in wage since 2019.
“We wish the businesses – that are making enormous income – to make a correct pay provide in order that our members can sustain with the price of residing.”
The Transport Secretary has invited Mr Whelan, in addition to the final secretaries of the RMT and TSSA unions, to pressing conferences.
A Division for Transport spokesperson stated: “It’s disappointing Aslef has but once more chosen self-defeating strike motion when our railway is in pressing want of reform.
“This previous week noticed optimistic developments between unions and employers and deliberate strikes cancelled, so this can be a irritating backwards step.
“Extra disruption will not be solely damaging to the general public and Aslef’s personal member’s livelihoods however threatens the way forward for the railway itself. It has by no means been extra vital for all sides to work collectively and handle the elemental points in entrance of us.”
A Rail Supply Group spokesperson added: “We’re extremely pissed off the Aslef management has determined to take additional strike motion.
“We remorse Aslef’s determination, which can trigger actual disruption to passengers and hit its members’ pay packets. As a substitute of staging extra counterproductive strike motion which will increase the very actual monetary problem the trade is dealing with, we ask them to work with us to safe each a pay deal and the adjustments wanted it for it to thrive within the long-term and enhance reliability throughout the community.”
Simon Calder, journey correspondent of The Impartial, stated: “The attrition continues – simply hours after the consequences of the RMT ‘strike that by no means was’ lastly ended, the drivers’ union, Aslef, has introduced one other stoppage aimed squarely at leisure travellers and households.
“Rail employees inform me they really feel undervalued and that stopping work is the one strategy to obtain a good settlement. Their union says ‘we’ve no selection however to take strike motion once more’.
“However ticket income for the railway has slumped since Covid, and the employers say they should steadiness the books – with pay rises contingent on modernising and chopping prices.
“In the meantime passengers are caught in the course of an apparently intractable dispute, dealing with one other day of wrecked journey plans, whereas the taxpayer picks up the invoice for the monetary harm the strike will trigger.
“At a time when the railway desperately wants to draw new passengers, confidence in prepare journey is at an all-time low.”
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