Train drivers at nine companies announce strike on 13 August
Members of the union Aslef working as train drivers at nine rail operators have announced a strike on 13 August over salaries.
The industrial action will impact services on Greater Anglia, Great Western Railway, Hull Trains, London Overground, Southeastern, West Midlands, Avanti West Coast and Cross Country.
Workers at the first seven operators are also walking out on Saturday.
“We want an increase in line with the cost of living – we want to be able to buy, in 2022, what we could buy in 2021,” said general secretary Mick Whelan.
“We don’t see why we should forego an increase in salary to keep pace with inflation and help the privatised train companies make even bigger profits to send abroad.”
Aslef’s decision is the latest straw in what many call the UK’s “summer of discontent,” which threatens to bring the country to a standstill.
Around 40,000 members of the union RMT working at Network Rail and 14 other operators walked out today in a dispute over job cuts and salaries.
They were joined by Avanti West Coast platform and ticketing staff in the union TSSA.
The strike cause massive disruption to thousands of commuters, as only 20 per cent of trains were running.
RMT and TSSA members are set to strike for another two days, on 18 and 20 August while London Underground workers will walk out on 19 August.