There will be three days of strikes on the railways in late July, after the RMT union announced that staff at 14 train companies will walk out.
The strikes will take place on
- Thursday 20th July
- Saturday 22nd July
- Saturday 29th July
As is usual with train strikes, there’s also likely to be some disruption in the evening before, and certainly the morning after.
If the strike goes ahead, some 20,000 railway workers who are members of the RMT union will walk out at 14 of the train operating companies. Few of the strikers will be drivers, as they are mainly represented by a different union – this strike will be mainly train and station staff instead.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “This latest phase of action will show the country just how important railway staff are to the running of the rail industry.”
“My team of negotiators and I are available 24/7 for talks with the train operating companies and government ministers.”
“Yet quite incredibly neither party has made any attempt whatsoever to arrange any meetings or put forward a decent offer that can help us reach a negotiated solution.”
“The government continues to shackle the companies and will not allow them to put forward a package that can settle this dispute.”
The 14 operators involved in RMT’s disputes so far have been:
- Avanti West Coast
- Chiltern Railways
- Cross Country Trains
- Greater Anglia
- LNER
- East Midlands Railway
- c2c
- Great Western Railway
- Northern Trains
- South Eastern
- South Western Railway
- Transpennine Express
- West Midlands Trains
- GTR (including Gatwick Express)
Responding to the strike announcement, a Rail Delivery Group spokesperson said: “More strikes are totally unnecessary. After a year of industrial action all the RMT has achieved is losing their members more money than they would have received in the pay offers they refused to put to put out to a vote, despite having agreed the terms with the negotiators the room.
“We have now made three offers that the RMT executive have blocked without a convincing explanation. We remain open to talks and we have said repeatedly that we want to give our people a pay rise, but until the union leadership and executive is united in what it wants and engages in good faith with the 30% shortfall in revenue the industry is continuing to grapple with post covid, it is difficult to move forward. Sadly our staff, our customers and the communities across the country which rely on a thriving railway are the ones that are suffering as a result.”
Greedy, horrible people….ruining people’s plans and other businesses bookings
Completely agree.
Put it to memembers, see if it’s really what they want ?.??
I agree that they should put the recent offer from the rail delivery group / operators to its members.
If the members reject the offer then the RMT would be in a better position to negotiate, as it could claim it had a mandate from its members to get an improved offer. I can’t help wondering if they’ve not been putting the recent offers to their members because suspect a significant number of people would vote to accept it.
Bloody fuming. This is the third time I’ve had to change plans, theatre tickets and hotels booking stuffed meaning losing money and in this tough financial climate not something I appreciate.
Where do I apply for compensation Mr Lynch
Good luck to the RMT. Time this lousy government made an offer in line with inflation because otherwise the railway staff are getting a pay cut. Blame Sunak, not Lynch
Nonsense saying blame Runak! What a ridiculous thing to say. Blame the selfish individuals choosing to smear their faces with even more cash than they’re already getting. When people like carers get paid next to nothing whilst all these people have to do is go in a straight line.
RobB rather than ranting you should read the article properly and see who actually is striking before making your deranged comments.
It’s station staff and non driving on-board staff that are striking.
RMT has very few train drivers as members. 95% of drivers are members of ASLEF (who aren’t striking on these dates)
These staff aren’t that well paid and certainly aren’t smearing their faces with cash (whatever that means).
Are the trains on strike on the 31st of july that’s when I go to blackpool with my family thank you we have bought the tickets