Railway union workers industrial and strike action - 2022

[whole diary]

[a-driver]

Holidays will have been banned during the strike week too, I understand

Holidays are definitely not banned. We’d be out the door again if that happened!!!!!!
Companies do not hold what union an employee is a member of so crew will be rostered as a normal day on strike days.

[IndustryInsider]

AIUI^▸ (as I understand it) any annual leave remains valid that was booked and agreed before a strike day is called, but no additional applications are entertained after a strike is called.

[TaplowGreen]

AIUI^▸ (as I understand it) any annual leave remains valid that was booked and agreed before a strike day is called, but no additional applications are entertained after a strike is called.

Yes that's been my experience throughout my career.

Message from GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) Twitter this morning remains

Services continue to be affected following the suspension of planned industrial action

There is currently a reduced level of service operating on many parts of the network

Find alternative ways to travel if possible

http://gwr.com/strike

[Richard Fairhurst]

The 04.49 from Hereford to Paddington was reinstated late last night. I spotted it in time to save Mrs F the protracted journey on the charming but rather slow bus from Charlbury into Oxford this morning. Can't imagine it was busy, though, unless there were many other people watching RTT^» (Real Time Trains - website) in the small hours.

Otherwise no service before 09.00 here.

[IndustryInsider]

Many of the peak 9/10-car IET^▸ (Intercity Express Train) arrivals at Paddington crammed with 800+ passengers.

The ‘try not to travel’ message is very necessary but not necessarily being followed!

[ChrisB]

From The Telegraph, via MSN

RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) blamed for Monday rail chaos after ‘sitting on’ potential pay deal

The trade union leading industrial action on the railways sat on a potential deal for a week that would have avoided travel chaos for millions of commuters on Monday, the Telegraph has learnt.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport workers union (RMT) waited until Friday afternoon to call off three days of strike action starting on Saturday, leaving no time to reset train timetables.

As a result, millions of commuters were dismayed to find just one in five train services were running on Monday across some of the UK^▸ (United Kingdom)'s busiest lines despite the planned strike action being cancelled.

The last-minute cancellation came despite a verbal offer made a week beforehand. Network Rail is understood to have offered an olive branch to union leaders during the week commencing Oct 24.

It included an offer to drop plans to ram through changes to maintenance staff working conditions – a core plank of the dispute – without the RMT’s support.

The TSSA^» (Transport Salaried Staffs' Association - about) and Unite unions chose to call off their industrial action on the following Tuesday, Nov 1, in response.

It is understood that had the RMT moved in step with its sister unions, a full rail service would have been operated on Monday. Disruption on Saturday would also have been mitigated.

Mick Lynch, RMT general secretary, however, waited until last Thursday, Nov 3, to request that the offer from Network Rail was put in writing. Assurances were delivered on Friday, which prompted Mr Lynch to call off the strikes.

The RMT insisted that it decided to abandon a week-long campaign of strike action only once it had received written confirmation from Network Rail on Nov 4.

A spokesman for the union said: "For the first time the train operators via [trade body] the RDG^‡(resolve) committed in their letter on Friday to finally make a full written offer on the issues in dispute following a period of intensive negotiations with the train operating companies.

"Our NEC^» (National Exhibition Centre - about) then decided at the earliest opportunity that same day to suspend scheduled strike action."

Rail industry sources hit back, with one saying that Network Rail’s position had not changed over the course of the week.

“TSSA and Unite didn't feel the need to wait for a clarification letter, the reason being everything was crystal clear,” they added.

Thameslink, Southern, Great Northern, Northern, South Western, South Eastern and ScotRail ran only around one in five of their normal services on Monday as a result of the last minute cancellation of industrial action.

Others, such as Greater Anglia and Merseyrail, were able to return to a full normal timetable.

Rail chiefs spent much of the weekend in talks with union leaders to try and avert travel chaos bleeding into this week.

Although they were unable to restore a full service, it is thought that roughly 40pc of normal trains were in operation across the country. Most companies offer drivers a "seven-day rostering agreement" that means timetables must be agreed a week in advance.

Services on Wednesday, originally down as a strike day, will return to a full schedule, sources said, after train operators struck a deal with drivers union Aslef to increase flexibility on rostering.

A train operator source said: "Bosses are spitting feathers at the fact that the RMT has got the moral high ground, whilst their members are getting paid for sitting at home."

A spokesman for Network Rail said: “Finding a resolution to this long running dispute is all that matters and right now all parties involved are fully engaged in that goal. With a fair wind, and building on progress of the last week, we hope that talks over the next two weeks can find that elusive win-win.”

They are correct in that the TSSA & Unite cancelled their strikes as stated above.

[Timmer]

Another two strike days coming up on the 19th and 21st of November. RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) striking over the dismissal of a signaller at Thames Valley Signalling Centre.

Awaiting to see what disruption that will cause. All GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) are saying at the moment:
https://www.gwr.com/strike

In a separate, local, dispute with Network Rail, RMT members at the Thames Valley Signal Centre (TVSC^» (Thames Valley Signalling Centre - about)) have announced their intention to take industrial action on Saturday 19 and Monday 21 November.

On these days train services will be disrupted on many parts of the GWR network. Trains on the days following the industrial action may also be disrupted.

A reduced service will operate between 07:30 and 18:30 on most parts of the GWR network, and the last trains will be earlier than usual.

In the areas affected, where we are able to run services, they are expected to be busy and we are not able to provide bus replacement services.

Online journey planners will be updated with the latest timetable information as soon as possible.

Must confess to having a bit more interest in this one as I’m meant to be traveling home from London on Saturday the 19th 

[Timmer]

Train drivers belonging to ASLEF^» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about) to strike on Saturday 26th of November.

edit: spelling

[ChrisB]

From the ASLEF^» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about) website

rain drivers who are members of ASLEF – the train drivers’ union – will walk out at 12 train operating companies on Saturday 26 November in a dispute over pay.

ASLEF negotiators have been engaged in talks with the industry but there has, so far, been no offer on pay.

Mick Whelan, general secretary, commented:

“We regret that passengers will be inconvenienced for another day. We don’t want to be taking this action. Withdrawing our labour is always a last resort for a trade union.

“We have come to the table, as we always will, in good faith but while the industry continues to make no offer – due to the dodgy deal they signed with the DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) – we have no choice but to take strike action again.

“They want drivers to take a real terms pay cut. With inflation now well into double figures, train drivers who kept Britain moving through the pandemic are now being expected to work just as hard this year as last year but for less. Most of these drivers have not had an increase in salary since 2019.

“We want the companies – which are making huge profits – to make a proper pay offer so that our members can keep up with the cost of living.”

ASLEF members at 12 companies – Avanti West Coast; Chiltern Railways; CrossCountry; East Midlands Railway; Great Western Railway; Greater Anglia; London North Eastern Railway; London Overground; Northern Trains; Southeastern; Transpennine Express, and West Midlands Trains   - will strike on 26 November.

We have already walked out for 24 hours on Saturday 30 July; Saturday 13 August; Saturday 1 October, and Wednesday 5 October at those companies which have, so far, refused to do the right thing.

This year we have successfully concluded pay deals with fourteen companies: Colas Infrastructure Monitoring; DB^» (Deutsche Bahn - German State Railway - about) Cargo; Direct Rail Services; Eurostar; Freightliner Heavy Haul; Freightliner Intermodal; GB^▸ (Great Britain) Railfreight; Grand Central; Merseyrail; MTR Elizabeth line; Nexus; PRE Metro Operations; ScotRail, and Transport for Wales. We have put an offer from the company to our members from Hull Trains and First Tram Operations.

[TaplowGreen]

South West Trains unaffected?

[ChrisB]

They were being re-balloted - maybe only action short of a strike was agreed?

[Fourbee]

South West Trains unaffected?

SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) drivers had a pay deal a while back, not sure how long is left on it.

[JayMac]

South West Trains unaffected?

With the dire performance during 'normal' times we in SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) land are grateful for every small mercy.

[ChrisB]

On the RDG^‡(resolve) website

Update on the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) negotiations

A spokesperson for the Railway Delivery Group, said

“We have held a series of constructive discussions with the RMT leadership this week and we have agreed to continue these discussions next week. Our priority remains to reach a fair deal which both rewards our people with a pay rise, and delivers the reforms needed to secure a sustainable future for the industry and those working within it.”

The result of the RMT re-ballot on the 15th (Tuesday) will be needed to be positive before they set any further strike dates, assuming they see out next week's talks.

[TaplowGreen]

South West Trains unaffected?

SWR^» (South Western Railway - about) drivers had a pay deal a while back, not sure how long is left on it.

Thanks - useful to know.