New wave of strikes set to disrupt UK rail services

Rail passengers face more disruption this week when two transport unions launch a new wave of strikes in a long-running dispute with the train operators and government.

Drivers’ union Aslef will bring large parts of the network to a standstill when its members stage a one-day strike on Friday, May 12. The RMT union will walk out for 24 hours on Saturday.

The strikes will be the first nationwide walkouts since early February, and have dashed hopes for an imminent deal to end a bitter dispute that has dragged on for almost a year. Aslef plans to hold further one-day walkouts on May 31 and June 3.

Both unions turned down offers from train companies and announced renewed industrial action at the end of last month, blaming train operators and the government for failing to improve longstanding pay and reform proposals.

The RMT rejected a 9 per cent pay rise over two years in its dispute with 14 train companies, while Aslef called its 8 per cent offer from 16 companies “risible”.

The government, which sets the industry’s finances, has suggested the offers on the table are “best and final” proposals, leaving the two sides deadlocked.

Industry bosses were particularly disappointed by the RMT’s decision to call new strikes, after the union’s leadership had earlier agreed to consider the pay and reform proposal from the industry.

Union leaders have said the offers on the table do not properly account for runaway inflation, let alone the impact of sweeping reforms proposed alongside the pay offers, including major changes to working practices.

The prospect of strikes continuing for much of this year increased at the end of last week, after the RMT announced its members had overwhelmingly voted to extend the union’s mandate for industrial action by a further six months when its existing one expires at the end of May.

In a message to members on Friday, RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said the support for continued strike action showed members’ “determination to carry on until we get a deal that we can all support”.

Aslef is also preparing to reballot its members for a similar mandate, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Rail operators have warned passengers to expect significant disruption when the strikes begin this week, including for those travelling to the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool on Saturday.

“We understand the impact of these strikes on individuals and businesses alike, and we can only apologise for this unnecessary and damaging disruption,” said Steve Montgomery, chair of industry body the Rail Delivery Group, which represents the train operators.

TransPennineExpress, which operates services in the north of England, said there would be no services at all on Friday, and “a significantly reduced service” on Saturday.

“Sadly our customers need to be aware that the strike action will have a significant impact on our ability to run services to and from Liverpool,” said Kathryn O’Brien, operations and customer experience director at TPE.

An Aslef ban on drivers working overtime will also cause additional delays and cancellations between May 15 and 20, as well as on May 13 and June 1.