Train drivers announce new strikes after rejecting ‘risible’ pay offer - including on FA Cup final day

‘Senseless’ walkouts will also hit travel to Eurovision, Beyonce gig and Lord’s Test match

Three more days of rail strikes have been announced – ending hopes that the year-long dispute over pay was close to being resolved.

The train drivers’ union Aslef said it would be calling its members out on strike on Friday May 12, Wednesday May 31, and Saturday June 3.

The strike will cause chaos on FA Cup Final day, when thousands of fans of Manchester City and Manchester United are due to head to Wembley stadium.

The May 12 strike will have an impact on people heading to Liverpool for the Eurovision song contest the following day.

The June 3 strike will also cause major problems for fans Beyoncé fans heading to the Tottenham Hotspur stadium for her Renaissance world tour concert, and for cricket fans with tickets for the England v Ireland test match at Lord’s. It will also affect those travelling to Epsom Derby. 

Transport Secretary Mark Harper 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.”

Last month the RMT union had called off strikes and appeared close to accepting an improved offer from the 16 private train firms.

But Aslef on Thursday described the pay offer as “risible” as it announced the walkouts and further action involving a work to rule.

This will affect key routes in and out of London including Avanti West Coast, Great Western Railway, Greater Anglia, Thameslink, London North Eastern Railway, Southeastern, Southern and South Western Railway.

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AFP via Getty Images

Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan said the pay offer, from the Rail Delivery Group on behalf of the train firms, was only worth four per cent.

He said this was unacceptable at a time inflation is above 10 per cent – adding that train drivers had not had a pay rise since 2019.

But the RDG said the offer was worth eight per cent over two years.

Train drivers earn about £60,000 and the pay offer would have taken their pay to about £65,000.

Ministers are angry that Aslef has not allowed its members a vote on whether to accept the offer.

Mr Whelan said: “Our executive committee met this morning [Thursday] and rejected a risible proposal we received from the RDG… late on Wednesday afternoon.

“The proposal – of just four per cent – was clearly not designed to be accepted as inflation is still running north of 10 per cent and our members at these companies have not had an increase for four years.

“Consequently, we have today announced three more days of strike action – on Friday 12 May, Wednesday 31 May, and Saturday 3 June.

“We are also withdrawing non-contractual overtime from Monday 15 to Saturday 20 May inclusive, as well as on Saturday 13 May and Thursday 1 June.”

But Mr Harper said: “The fair and reasonable offer from the RDG included urgent reform to ensure our railways are financially sustainable for the benefit of passengers, rail workers and the taxpayer as well as delivering a pay rise – for members whose salary already averages £60,000 a year.

“Aslef need to call off these strikes and give their members a say on this offer.”

A Rail Delivery Group spokesperson said: “This is disappointing news for our customers and staff, more strike action is totally unnecessary and will only heap more pressure on an industry already facing an acute financial crisis.

“Senselessly targeting both the final of Eurovision and the FA cup final is disappointing for all those planning to attend.

“After many weeks of negotiations with the Aslef leadership, we made a revised and fair offer including a pay rise of eight per cent over two years.

“It would have introduced overdue, common-sense improvements already in place in parts of the network, which would will see more trains running on time for passengers. Sadly, this has been rejected.

“We urge the Aslef leadership to re-join us at the negotiating table and work with us to find a solution to the issues our industry faces and so we can give our people the pay rise we have always said we wanted to do.”

Aslef said its negotiating team had met representatives of the train firms on eight occasions since February to try to resolve the dispute.

This followed eight rail strikes that began in July last year. The most recent Aslef walkout was on February 3.

Train Strike | Wednesday 1st February 2023

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Mr Whelan said: “We do not want to go on strike – we do not want to inconvenience passengers, we have families and friends who use the railway, too, and we believe in investing in rail for the future of this country – but the blame for this action lies, fairly and squarely, at the feet of the employers who have forced our hand over this by their intransigence.

“It is now up to them to come up with a more sensible, and realistic, offer and we ask the government not to hinder this process.”

Last month the RMT suspended its strike action at Network Rail - and followed this by halting walkouts by members at the train firms.

The Network Rail offer was worth nine per cent over two years, with higher rates for lower paid workers.

A similar deal was thought to have been offered to train staff. But the RMT warned on April 6 that though negotiations were underway with train firms, it “remained in dispute” and was reballoting its members on retaining a mandate for strike action.

The reballot closes on May 4 and vote in favour could mean further walk-outs by the RMT could follow.

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