Just days after a national rail strike by the RMT is due to take place, train drivers with the Aslef union will also walk out in a one-day strike.
Aslef says that its members have not had a pay rise since 2019, but are asking for a pay rise that will at least match the current level of inflation for this year. The ballot was around 9-1 in favour of strike action, with turnouts across the train companies in excess of 80% voting in the ballot.
The eight companies that can expect to be affected by the forthcoming strike action are:
- Chiltern Railways
- Great Western Railways (GWR)
- LNER
- London Overground (Arriva Rail London)
- Northern Trains
- Southeastern
- TransPennine Express
- West Midland Trains
The strike, if it goes ahead, would see around 6,000 train drivers going on strike, out of the 21,000 Aslef members who participated in the ballot.
In addition to the stike affecting the above companies on 30th July, drivers on Greater Anglia are also on strike the weekend before, on Saturday 23rd July.
Mick Whelan, Aslef’s general secretary said: “It’s not unreasonable to ask your employer to make sure you’re not worse off for a third successive year.”
With the RMT strike on Wednesday 27th July, and expected to have knock-on effects on Thursday morning, and then Aslef members striking on the Saturday, with again some knock-on effects on the Sunday, it’s going to be several days of disruption for train passengers.
