The RMT union has announced another set of strikes early next month that will coincide with Bonfire Night.
The union says that it was close to an agreement with National Rail on improved offer on pay and working towards a negotiated settlement, but that National Rail then tied this to job cuts and changes to working conditions.
The RMT says that strikes on Network Rail will now take place on Thursday 3rd, Saturday 5th and Monday 7th of November.
Realistically, that’s at least five consecutive days of disruption, as train services will be affected in the evenings before the strike days and in the mornings afterwards. This strike will affect most train companies to some degree as it’s a dispute with Network Rail, which controls the signalling systems. No signal staff means no trains.
The full scale of the strike impact is likely to be confirmed late next week as train companies release their amended strike timetables.
A Rail Delivery Group spokesperson said: “We are frustrated that the RMT leadership has decided to take further strike action. Given their recent call for ‘intense negotiations’ we had hoped they would give our staff and customers a much-needed break from the disruption and lost pay of the last five months.
“Instead of inflicting more unnecessary long-term damage to the industry we all want to see thrive, we ask the RMT to recognise the very real financial challenge the railway faces, and work with us towards a fair deal that both offers a pay rise and includes the long overdue changes we need to make to improve services for our customers.”
There is however another unrelated strike affecting Avanti West Coast on Sunday 6th November, so for Avanti customers, it’s worse.
In separate disputes on London Underground and Overground networks, RMT members will take strike action on Thursday 3rd November. That will affect a number of tube lines, and see a reduced service on the London Overground.
UPDATED 19th October – The RMT has now announced strike action on 14 train operating companies on November 3rd and 5th after it says there were no new offers on pay jobs and working conditions. Strike action will coincide with RMT members on Network Rail, London Underground and Overground who are also walking out.
UPDATED 26th October – the dates of the strikes have been changed – details here.
The country is in chaos why make it worse – be thankful of what we have – look at Ukraine – Somalia etc How lucky we are.
the government are causing this chaos – not front line works
Its the government who are causing these strikes not the workers and don’t use another country’s war to have a dig at those who strike
Wake up Diana and do some proper research on the dispute. Your comment is so typically shallow with little knowledge to back it up.
I cannot understand why the railways are asking for more money as far as I am concerned train drivers etc get paid a fortune. I wish I was on £60.000 a year they don’t know when their well off. I earn less than £25.000 try living on this. If their not careful there will be job cuts as every time they strike it’s costing the railways millions no company can afford this loss indefinitely, be warned.
The train drivers are not striking – it’s the Network Rail staff who are striking – and they don’t average £60,000 a year in wages.
It’s not costing the train operating companies anything because the Government aka taxpayers is paying them as normal as though the services were operating!
If the companies were the ones actually losing fare income this strike would have been ended ages ago.
Train drivers do go on strike ASLEF have had separate days I speak to one that I know and he said so
Yes, and the job used to be extremely poorly paid and they couldn’t get anyone to do it. To get anyone to take the awful shifts, the high levels of responsibility and the extra tasks and competencies that it now involves, a good salary is needed. And understandably, they do not now wish to lose that salary to inflation and a union hating Tory party.
RMT have been doing this for years. They always hold the country to ransome. They are greedy and overpaid and always ask for more.
There are micro organisms on the moons of Neptune who knew you were going to say that.
If they were as over paid as you think they are then why do the TOCs seem to have such difficulty in recruiting and retaining all sorts of staff from station staff right through to drivers?
If the jobs are not paid well, get another one which will satisfy your ambitions!!! Why you are still there with awful shifts, awful wages,etc???
Because the grass isn’t always greener!
The TOCs are already having problems recruiting all sorts of staff because of what is seen as poor pay so there isn’t an army of people willing to take up these jobs,
So if all those people you think should get another job did then the service would be even worse than it is now.
It’s atrocious that RMT and other Unions are still planning and going ahead with this, whilst the members are stood out in the cold not getting paid, the likes of Mick Lynch will be sitting in their Ivory Towers in the heat… getting paid.
Re Nationalise the Railway and bin Unions, November will be 5 Days of torture for folk trying to commute.
People are struggling to pay heating and food bills, will this debacle going on, it makes it worse for folk.
There was me thinking fuel and food poverty had something to do with 12 years of Tory rule. Turns out it’s all Lloyd George and Pope Clement III’s fault.
Shame on you RMT,every body struggles,we all in the same boat.
By doing what you doing you stop the economy groind and the contry going foward, had a time were we need all the money we cane to make the contry on track.
You are just gready,selfish people you attitude is appalling.
Although this personally inconveniences me getting to Cardiff for Wales v New Zealand I have nothing but solidarity for the RMT and their workers.
Thanks Gary how many times do the RMT have to explain to people its about safety on the tracks not just cost of living.
Would you work the hours they do?, I don’t think so and as for being greedy I don’t think so, just look at this government awarding these big bankers big payrises and tax cuts there the greedy ones.
Chris, do you think that London underground , overground and railway will not survive without all of you? Year, of course nobody can replace you. This job is awful paid and looks like you and others are very experienced so go and find another job. Why are you bother about awful job? Why all of you are still there?
I don’t know why you think I work for a London Underground or the railways because I don’t.
The question YOU need to answer is who do you think would replace all the workers you think should just resign and what sort of service would there be left operating.
Would you work in NHS and hours they work? So, they always looking for staff. Good luck
Guys’ if the average pay is not 60K what is the average pay, if people are earning 60K+ then hopefully they are earning it, if people are earning a lot less then why are they not applying to do the job that pays 60K? I think the public would be more understanding and tolerant if it was published what is the average wage and what is the average hours worked, this will at least help people decide if the task is worth it, as I understand it station staff earn a lot less than drivers who in turn work a lot less hours than station staff (maybe this is wrong and if yes then perhaps some clarity would help clear things up for all) Especially the commuter
It’s exceptionally easy to find the details using the search engine of your choice.
The average signaller earns £44,000, according to Network Rail. The average pay for a maintenance worker is £31,000, and the overall average for Network Rail RMT members is £36,000.
As one of the many zero hours workers in london, I see this snd my heart sinks. Another week where my wage is reduced by a fifth or a quarter due to people with higher wages, and more job security than me demanding even more than they have already. I can barely cover my rent as it is. Most of us cannot afford to bite the hand that feeds.
And that is exactly why you and the rest of the country must support the people who are biting back! Instead of the typical British attempt at imitation of crabs in a barrel.
Them winning will have a knock on effect for everyone in Britain.
Enough is enough and now people are doing exactly what they should have done years ago, telling the profiteering Torys and their chums it’s over.
I think they need to get NEW job’s and stop coursing all this mayhem in the country were people still have to go to work and STOP thinking about yourself for ONCE..
And who is going to drive the trains or open the stations or operate the signals and maintain the tracks if they all left their jobs like you and some other commenters here want?
Amd if all those people left how easy do you think it would be to replace them? There isn’t an army of trained train drivers ready to step in – that’s if they want to work for the current TOCs in the first place.
You talk about mayhem. Imagine they mayhem that would arise if you got your way and the all got new jobs.
Why do people always assume the strikes are just about pay. They are about job security, how would some people feel if they could not get help from the people in the ticket offices as they are all shut down. Think about elderly and disabled people who would have difficulty using a ticket machine
Surely it’s the people that use the service and pay for their wages are the ones that are being hit hard especially if your self employed who’s going to pay for thier days pay they lose 🤔???
these strikes are predominantly about pay.
to say otherwise is an insult.
the sticking point to an agreement is the percentage of increase in wage.
the statement that it’s about safety and work that’s required on the rail.
so if the workers get extra pay they then work will get done quicker.
and the rails will be safer.
safety is a change to infrastructure and working practice not how much someone’s paid to do the job.
personally i will not be renewing my rail cards for 23.
a reliable service is the least that the paying punter can expect.
which we have no got.
Good! Get a bus or a cab, it will take longer or cost a lot more
Well your first point is wrong because until very recently the TOCs / Network Rail have refused to discuss pay wanting to concentrate on restructuring (AKA getting rid if staff) and working preactices.
And the strikes have been going on for much longer than the pay part of the negotiations.
You mention safety several times well reducing the number of workers and some of their roles (such as those that look for oncoming trains so they can warn their colleagues) won’t add to safety it will make it worse.