UK New Year rail strikes: Rail companies to stage a walkout on January 5

Today, the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (Aslef) general secretary Mick Whelan stated that fifteen rail companies would join picket lines in a long-running pay conflict.

Several different railways are affected by this:

• West Midlands
• Southern/Gatwick Express
• Chiltern
• Avanti West Coast east Midlands Railway
• CrossCountry
• Island Line
• Greater Anglia

The National Union of Rail, Maritime, and Transport Workers (RMT) has called for a strike and other 48-hour walkouts on January 3, 4, 6, and 7.


The RMT strike will affect Network Rail, meaning trains in Britain will be out of operation for a week. It is part of the broader wave of worker dissatisfaction that has been sweeping the UK for months because of the cost of living problem. Strikes have also occurred in the healthcare and ambulance sectors on pay and working conditions.


Whelan emphasised the importance of the railroad workers, saying that they "moved about" while keeping the country afloat during the Covid-19 pandemic. He claimed that employees "have not gotten a pay raise in nearly four years," despite Aslef members' firm decision to strike again.

Aslef's mandate has just six months of legal validity. Thus a new referendum is required when that time has passed.

FAQ:

1. Will there be an increased train strike in the UK?
   Strikes may continue into spring 2023 if unions and train operators cannot agree on wages, job security, and working conditions.
2. How much do train drivers in the UK earn?
   The average salary of a train driver is £59,864 per year.