Following the formal rejection of pay offers by the RMT and Aslef unions, train operating companies will be subjected to additional strikes next month.
Two union disputes with railway operating companies will result in additional strikes, including during the Eurovision Song Contest and FA Cup finals.
The RMT union, which settled a pay dispute with Network Rail last month, said it would initiate strike action across 14 train operators on Saturday, May 13 – the day Liverpool hosts Eurovision’s main event on behalf of war-torn Ukraine.
The company’s executive was contemplating a new offer from the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), which represents the companies.
The RMT asserted that the operators had “torpedoed” the negotiations.
Following additional discussions between the union and RDG, the employer clarified the offer that RMT has been contemplating, according to a statement explaining its position.
“The RDG is now stating that they will only implement the 5% first-year payment if the union terminates its industrial mandate, preventing any further strike action.”
“Stage 2 negotiations, which are part of the employer’s offer, would then need to commence without the union having any industrial leverage at the table.”
In addition, it confirmed that its members at the operators, including Avanti West Coast, which serves Eurovision hosts, Liverpool, were re-voting to extend their strike mandate by an additional six months.
A spokesperson for RDG responded, “Additional strike action is completely unnecessary and will only exacerbate an industry’s already severe financial crisis.”
“Those planning to attend the Eurovision and FA Cup finals are disappointed by the senseless attacks on both events.”
Aslef announced earlier on Thursday three days of driver strikes, including the day of the FA Cup final.
The decision to engage in industrial action was made after the union rejected a pay offer from sixteen railway companies.
Aslef announced the following dates: Friday, May 12th, Wednesday, May 31st, and Saturday, June 3rd, with the latter occurring on the day of the football cup final and the Epsom Derby.
Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef, stated, “Our executive committee convened this morning and rejected a ridiculous proposal from a lobbying group that represents some train companies.
The proposal was not intended to be accepted, as inflation is still above 10% and our members at these companies have not received a rise in four years.
In addition to demonstrations, Aslef stated it would suspend non-contractual overtime from May 15 to May 20, and again on May 13 and June 1.
Some of the largest train companies in the United Kingdom, including Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, London North Eastern Railway, and South Western Railway, will be affected by the industrial action announced today.
Mr. Whelan stated that the union “doesn’t want to go on strike” but that the “blame for this action lies fairly and squarely at the feet of the employers, whose intransigence has forced our hand”
“It is now their responsibility to present a more reasonable and realistic proposal, and we ask the government not to impede this process,” he said.
It is deeply disappointing that Aslef has decided to call strikes and ban overtime, targeting thousands of people attending the UK’s first Eurovision event in 25 years – including Ukrainians displaced by Putin’s war – and the first ever all-Manchester FA Cup final,” said Transport Secretary Mark Harper.
“The fair and reasonable offer from the RDG included urgent reform to ensure that our railways are financially sustainable for the benefit of passengers, rail workers, and taxpayers, as well as a pay increase for members whose average annual salary is already £60,000.”
Aslef must call off these strikes and allow their members to vote on this proposal.
