Train Drivers’ Ongoing Strike Severely Affects Services

Train drivers are once again causing headaches for rail passengers as they embark on a 24-hour strike, further deepening the ongoing dispute over their wages.

This train drivers’ strike, organized by members of the Aslef union, is having a severe impact on services across the board. A total of 13 operators, including big names like Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, Thameslink, and TransPennine Express, have been forced to shut down their operations for the entire day. Those companies still running trains have slashed their timetables, starting later and ending earlier than usual.

The brunt of this disruption is concentrated in England, with Transport for Wales and ScotRail fortunately unaffected by the labour dispute. However, the train drivers’ strike action by long-distance drivers has spilt over into Scotland and Wales, causing cancellations in these regions as well.

This protracted dispute began over a year ago and shows no signs of resolution. Talks are nonexistent, and there’s little hope of a breakthrough on the horizon.

To compound the travel chaos, drivers are also refusing overtime on Saturday, coinciding with a strike by the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT), which is battling for better pay, job security, and improved working conditions.

Both unions squarely place the blame on the government, asserting that it’s blocking any potential deal by preventing train operators from making offers that they can endorse to their members.

Mick Whelan, the general secretary of Aslef, voiced the unwavering determination of their members: “The feedback we get – and we talk to drivers every day – is that they’re in it for the long haul. You’ve got to remember some of our members, when we get to the end of this year, will be five years without a pay rise, so there’s no sign of any weakening or any lack of resolve, and our members in many cases want to go harder and faster.”

Whelan sees no end in sight for the dispute and believes it’s a political response:

“This is purely a political response to the dispute. Only when the ministers take the reins off the train operating companies will this get resolved.”

In response to the situation, Robert Nisbet, a spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), representing train operators, called on Aslef to show “movement” on changes to working practices. When asked about the absence of talks between RDG and Aslef since April, Nisbet attributed it to Aslef’s refusal to accept a core principle. He emphasized the need for “movement” on this issue, highlighting that the industry has changed significantly post-Covid, with a 30% drop in revenue due to decreased commuter numbers.

One of the key issues at the heart of the dispute is the reliance on driver overtime for Sunday services. Operators aim to eliminate this dependence, while Aslef argues that train companies don’t employ enough drivers to provide a full weekend service without making drivers work on their days off.

The Department for Transport expressed frustration, stating,

“After taxpayers supported rail workers throughout the pandemic, it’s frustrating to see both Aslef and RMT coordinate their (train drivers’) strikes with the aim of causing as much disruption as possible on the last weekend of the summer holidays. There remain fair and reasonable offers on the table for both unions, one which would bring the average train driver’s salaries up to £65,000 and one which RMT members working for Network Rail accepted months ago. Continued industrial action is disappointing and delays the reforms that would ultimately benefit passengers, rail workers, and taxpayers.”

Adding to the turmoil, this train drivers’ strike coincides with the final day of consultation on controversial plans to close most railway ticket offices, which has drawn hundreds of thousands of responses from the public. A protest took place outside Downing Street the evening before the train drivers’ strike, underscoring the depth of public concern.

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