“Strikes are the last resort”
Aslef announced that its members will walk out on Saturday, August 13, saying the companies did not make a payment offer to help members keep pace with cost-of-living increases.
Drivers are already due to strike at seven companies this Saturday and on Wednesday Aslef members at two more train operators voted overwhelmingly in favor of industrial action.
The announcement came as strikes by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union and the Transport Workers’ Association paralyzed services on Wednesday, with only one in five trains running and some areas without any .
Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef, said: “Strikes are always a last resort.
“We don’t want to upset passengers – our friends and family also use public transport – and we don’t want to lose money by striking, but we have been forced into this position by the companies, who say they have been pushed for this by the Government.
“Many of our members, who were the men and women who moved key workers and goods across the country during the pandemic, have not had a pay raise since 2019.
“With inflation north of 10%, this means these drivers have had their pay cut in real terms over the past three years.
“We want an increase in line with the cost of living: we want to be able to buy, in 2022, what we could buy in 2021.
“It’s not unreasonable to ask your employer to make sure you’re not worse off for three years in a row. Especially since the train companies are doing very well, thank you, outside of British Rail – with good profits, dividends for shareholders and big salaries for managers – and train drivers don’t want to work longer for less.
“Wage increases are not fueling inflation. Excessive leverage yes, but the Government is not asking companies to cut profits or pay dividends to help manage inflation. Wages follow prices, not drive them up.
“We don’t see why we should give up a pay rise to keep up with inflation and help privatized rail companies make even bigger profits to ship overseas.”
Avanti West Coast and CrossCountry drivers voted more than 9-1 to strike, it was announced on Wednesday.
They will strike on August 13 alongside drivers from Greater Anglia, Great Western Railway, Hull Trains, LNER, London Overground, Southeastern and West Midlands Trains.
A row broke out between unions and Transport Secretary Grant Shapps after he put forward plans to curb industrial action, including stopping coordinated industrial action, limiting picketing and having a rest period after of the strikes