Members of the ASLEF union are set to strike on five separate dates at the end of January and February as the dispute over pay continues.
Train driver ASLEF union members will strike on dates between Tuesday 30 January and Monday 5 February 2024, staggered between different train operating companies (TOCs).
Here’s what’s happening and when in this latest strike action as part of a long-running dispute over pay:
- Tuesday 30 January: Southeastern, GTR Southern/Gatwick Express, GTR Great Northern Thameslink, SWR Island Line, South Western Railway depot drivers, South Western railway mainline drivers.
- Wednesday 31 January: Northern Trains, Transpennine Trains.
- Friday 2 February: Greater Anglia, C2C, LNER.
- Saturday 3 February: West Midlands Trains, Avanti West Coast, East Midlands Railway.
- Monday 5 February: Great Western Railway, CrossCountry, Chiltern.
ASLEF also confirmed the drivers will refuse to work overtime from Monday 29 January until Tuesday 6 February.
General secretary, Mick Whelan, said: “Many of our members have now not had a single penny increase to their pay in half a decade, during which inflation soared and with it, the cost of living. Train drivers didn’t even ask for an increase during the Covid-19 pandemic when they worked throughout as keyworkers, risking their lives to allow NHS and other workers to travel.
“The Government has now tried their old trick of changing the rules when they can’t win and brought in Minimum Service Levels legislation. But this new law – as we told officials during the consultation period – won’t ease industrial strife. It will likely just make it worse.
“The Government and train operating companies must come to the table with a realistic offer so we can end this dispute and work together to ensure the future of our railways.”
ASLEF has called 14 one-day strikes during the 18-month dispute, with ballots first distributed to members in June 2022, with the first strike action taking place on 30 July 2022.
The last series of strikes took place from Saturday 2 December to Saturday 9 December 2023.
Meanwhile, action short of a strike – overtime ban – have taken place over eight separate periods in 2023.
‘Damaging industrial action’
A spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group, said: “Nobody wins when strikes impact lives and livelihoods, and they’re particularly difficult to justify at a time when taxpayers are continuing to contribute an extra £54m a week to keep services running post Covid.
“Despite the railway’s huge financial challenge, drivers have been made an offer which would take base salaries to nearly £65,000 for a four-day week before overtime – that is well above the national average and significantly more than many of our passengers that have no option to work from home are paid. Instead of staging more damaging industrial action, we call on the ASLEF leadership to work with us to resolve this dispute and deliver a fair deal which both rewards our people, and makes the changes needed to make services more reliable.”
Train strike rights
Passengers with advance tickets can get a refund if the train that they are booked on is cancelled, delayed or rescheduled.
If passengers have a return ticket they may also be entitled to a fee-free refund if any part of the journey is cancelled due to strikes.
Season ticket holders (flexi, monthly or longer) who cannot travel can claim 100% compensation for strike dates through the Delay Repay scheme.
Related: Your right to a refund if travel is affected by train strikes
