UK strikes: Month of rail chaos kicks off with first 48 hours of action as sick leave targeted
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Those traveling across Britain today have been warned to expect major disruption as 48-hour national rail strikes entered a second day.
Only one in five trains are expected to run today, adding to passenger travel woes ahead of the Christmas period.
Many industries are set to stage their own strikes this month and Royal Mail staff are joining rail workers to walk out today.
Around 40,000 Network Rail workers and 14 train operating companies are taking part in the December and January walkouts, which are planned to cause as much disruption as possible as travelers try to get around during the holidays.
The strikes continued after members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union rejected a 9% pay rise offered by Network Rail.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch claimed there was overwhelming support for industrial action, while blaming former transport secretary Grant Shapps for blocking a solution to the six-month rail dispute.
He told The Independent: “I think Grant Shapps still has a hand in it, because they [the cabinet] do a ’round robin’ on proposals”.
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Transport for London trains in disarray as rush hour approaches
In the second day of the latest national rail strike, commuters in the London area who rely on London Underground and the Elizabeth line are experiencing “severe delays” on some sections.
Elizabeth line segments outside central London are currently disrupted. Transport for London (TfL) says: “Severe delays between Paddington and Reading and between Liverpool Street and Shenfield due to strike action by national rail staff.”
On the London Underground, the day was characterized by delays and cancellations on some lines.
The Hammersmith & City and Circle lines have experienced staffing and congestion issues, with sometimes long delays. The north-east segment of the Central Line, between Leytonstone and Epping, is experiencing “severe delays”.
TfL says there are minor delays on the rest of the line due to train cancellations.
Elsewhere, the south-west end of the District line between Turnham Green and Richmond is disrupted “due to strike action by National Rail staff”. The tube line is shared with rail services and signaled by Network Rail staff.
(TfL)
Simon Calder December 14, 2022 4:45 p.m
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Is there a train strike tomorrow?
There is no train strike scheduled for tomorrow – the RMT Union’s official strike dates this week are December 13-14 and December 16-17 (Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday).
However, as with most train strikes, operators are expecting disruption until the morning of Thursday, December 15, the “in-between” day.
Network Rail reports that “services will resume later in the morning”, with disruptions typically continuing on UK train routes until 11am the following day on strike days. As with the strike days themselves, travelers wishing to use train networks early on Thursday should check with their train operator or their local station’s departure information for any disruptions.
The same will happen on Sunday (December 18), after the second departure of the 48-hour RMT on Friday and Saturday; as well as on January 5 and 8, the days “between” and “after” around the January strike dates of the RMT Union.
Chart from Network Rail showing rail disruption during December
(Railway network)
Lucy Thackray December 14, 2022 4:17 pm
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Avanti West Coast train drivers to vote on strike action
Avanti West Coast train drivers are due to be balloted for back-to-back industrial action over the lists.
Aslef accused the company of imposing new work patterns without an agreement.
General secretary Mick Whelan said: “I can hear the chickens coming home to roost.
“Avanti West Coast has never employed enough drivers to deliver the services it has promised to passengers, businesses and the government it will lead, so every day this year the company has fallen short.
“Earlier this year, in the summer, Avanti tried to blame the drivers for taking ‘unofficial industrial action’, which it knew was not true.
“Now the company has been caught out again because it is trying to run its West Coast Main Line service on the cheap (misleading staff, passengers and taxpayers) to line the pockets of its shareholders. This is a disgrace.
“If he had done the right thing and used himself, as we have constantly asked him to do, enough drivers would not have had the problems that have persisted throughout this year.
“Now the company, in an attempt to cover its own inadequacies, is trying to impose lists on drivers without going through the proper and agreed process.”
Alan Jones December 14, 2022 3:49 p.m
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The minister says it is “up to the unions” if Northern train services are improved
According to Transport Secretary Mark Harper, it is “up to the unions to decide” whether they want train services in the north of England to improve.
The cabinet minister claimed it gave TransPennine Express and Northern “the scope they need to make a meaningful and generous offer” of a day off to drivers’ union Aslef.
Thousands of services across the region have been canceled at short notice in recent months.
Much of the disruption has been caused by workers no longer volunteering for paid shifts on days off, amid an industry-wide labor relations crisis.
In a statement to Parliament, Harper wrote: “Aslef must enter into negotiations and put any new deal to its members and, if accepted, do everything possible to make that deal work.
“TransPennine has made a generous revised offer to Aslef and it was almost immediately rejected without being presented to members.
“It is up to the unions to decide if they want to improve services, for the sake of passengers and the wider economy in the North.”
Harper said he is in favor of “completely severing the railroad’s reliance on labor on days off.”
He added: “No successful modern business depends on the goodwill of its staff to deliver to its customers at night and at the weekend.
“I want a railroad with rewarding jobs, hired to provide all the services promised to the public.”
Neil Lancefield December 14, 2022 3:17 p.m
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The railway union announces new strike dates
A rail union has announced further strikes at two train operators in the days after Christmas.
The Transport Salaried Staff Association (TSSA) said around 700 of its members from West Midlands Trains (WMT) and Great Western Railway (GWR) will walk out in an ongoing dispute over pay, jobs and conditions.
The strike at GWR takes place for 24 hours from midday on Wednesday 28 December and at WMT for 24 hours from midday on Wednesday 28 December.
In the case of WMT, this cancels and replaces a strike previously planned for December 17.
The pre-strike action will continue until early January at both companies.
TSSA is demanding a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies, no unagreed changes in terms and conditions and a pay rise to meet the rising cost of living.
TSSA organizing director Nadine Rae said: “Our members at West Midlands Trains and Great Western Railway do not want to go on strike, particularly over the Christmas holiday period, but they are sick and tired of being taken for granted.
“They deserve a pay rise to help manage the rising cost of living and rightly demand job security. Train operators under the control of the Department for Transport must face the fact that only serious offers that fulfill our aspirations will put an end to this dispute.
“Railway workers are looking for basic fair treatment: not to be fired from their jobs; a fair wage increase in the face of the cost of living crisis; and no race to the bottom in terms and conditions.
“So far the strike action taken by these members has been very effective and will be again, with more trains coming to a standstill unless rail bosses and the government do the right thing for our members and our precious rail network which so many people trust. switched on”.
Alan Jones, PA Industry CorrespondentDecember 14, 2022 2:38 p.m
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The Eurostar strikes cancelled
Planned strikes by security guards at Eurostar this week have been called off.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union employed by contractor Mitie were due to walk out on Friday and Sunday in a dispute over pay.
Talks over wages are continuing, with further strikes expected next week if the dispute is not resolved.
Mitie said he has contingency plans if the action continues.
An RMT spokesman said: “The union has suspended planned strikes this week to allow Mitie’s safety members to take part in a referendum on the company’s latest offer to be concluded on December 19. The days’ strikes December 22 and 23 next week continue in the present day.”
Eurostar pointed out that none of its staff were involved in the dispute. The workers involved are Mitie security staff at Eurostar’s London St Pancras terminal.
Alan Jones, PA Industry CorrespondentDecember 14, 2022 2:03 p.m
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What are the demands of the railway workers against the current offer on the table?
Network Rail bosses have been in intensive negotiations since the RMT called the latest strike, which has also involved other unions.
On 4 December Network Rail made an offer. Union members Unite agreed and these employees have called off planned industrial action. But the RMT put the deal to a referendum of its members with a recommendation to reject it.
RMT announced on 12 December that 63.6% of members (out of an 83% share) rejected Network Rail’s latest pay offer.
Read our guide to everything we know about the deal offered by Network Rail, why it was rejected and what members of the RMT union are demanding:
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