Strike: Staff at 10 train companies to walk out on 26 September
Another day another strike as members of the union TSSA working as operational and support staff at 10 train companies have announced a 24-hour walkout on 26 September.
The strike will fall on the same days as the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, which is taking place between 25 and 28 September.
Workers will walk out from midday of 26 September to midday of 27 September in a dispute over pay, job security and conditions.
Disruption will affect services on TransPennine Express, West Midlands Railway, East Midlands Railway, Great Western Railway, Avanti West Coast, C2C, CrossCountry, LNER, Southeastern as well as Network Rail.
TSSA members have previously joined the nation-wide walkout that took place of 18 and 20 August.
However, the union said it remained open to talks, as general secretary Manuel Cortes has called on the government to allow train operating companies to return to the negotiating table.
Cortes recently wrote to transport secretary Grant Shapps, urging him to “break the impasse in the rail dispute.”
“The reason for the current impasse lies squarely at Shapps’ door and passengers are paying a high price for his incompetence and intransigence,” said the general secretary.
“I welcome the fact that negotiations are ongoing with Network Rail and the gap towards a resolution is narrowing.
“Time will tell whether a deal can be done to avert our next strike.”
Network Rail said it will continue to meet with workers, urging them to work “with us to find a breakthrough and avert strike action on 26 September.”
The remarks were echoed by the Rail Delivery Group, which said it was disappointed as the industry was still running 20 per cent below pre-pandemic levels.
Commenting on the TSSA decision, a Department for Transport spokesperson said: “For the eighth time this summer, union leaders are choosing self-defeating strike action over constructive talks, not only disrupting the lives of millions who rely on these services but jeopardising the future of the railways and their own members’ livelihoods.
“These reforms deliver the modernisations our rail network urgently needs, are essential to the future of rail, and will happen, strikes will not change this.”