More strikes to plague Britain’s train passengers as drivers vote to CONTINUE industrial action over more pay
- Members of ASLEF union have voted to continue with their ongoing strike action
- Union General Secretary Mick Whelan calls for government to improve offer
More strikes are set to plague trains operations in the UK as drivers vote to continue industrial action in their long-running dispute over pay.
The results of new ballots for strikes on passenger services in England and on the London Underground have shown continued support for train drivers, according to the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF) union.
Members of the union at Chiltern, East Midlands, Northern and TransPennine voted in favour of continuing with strike action having been reballoted again after six months under employment law.
Mick Whelan, General Secretary of ASLEF has called for the government to come back to the table with a new offer over pay.
‘The results of these new ballots show the determination of our members to win this dispute’, he said.
‘That’s why I am calling on the train companies, and the Government that stands behind them, to do the right thing and return to the negotiating table with a new offer and prevent more disruption to passengers and businesses in Britain.’
More strikes are set to plague trains operations in the UK as drivers vote to continue industrial action in their long-running dispute over pay (Pictured – Passengers at Paddington Station on July 29)
Mick Whelan, General Secretary of ASLEF has called for the government to come back to the table with a new offer over pay
Strike action will continue to plague trainlines across the country
Passengers await the few services running into and out of Euston Station on July 29
READ MORE: Full list of strikes planned for August 2023 including train strikes, doctor walkouts and flight disruptions
Elsewhere, Drivers at c2c were also balloted, for the first time, and voted in favour of continued strikes. Drivers at freight operation company Direct Rail Services also voted in favour of industrial action in a separate dispute over pay.
London Underground drivers also backed industrial action in a reballot in another dispute around pay, pensions and working conditions.
Finn Brennan, Aslef’s organiser on the Underground, said: ‘These huge votes, from the high 90s to 100 per cent, in favour of action, demonstrate just how determined our members are to protect their terms and conditions at work from the effects of the Government’s attack on TfL (Transport for London) funding.
‘As always, we are prepared to discuss and negotiate, but we will never accept detrimental changes being imposed on Aslef’s members.’
This week, members of Aslef have refused to work overtime from Monday to Saturday as part of its campaign of action. A similar ban was introduced towards the end of last month.
The union has said its members involved in the dispute have not had a pay rise for four years.
The overtime ban follows strikes last month by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union which crippled services.
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