Drivers are due to strike as early as this Saturday at seven companies and on Wednesday Aslef members at two more train operating companies voted overwhelmingly in favor of industrial action. The announcement came as strikes by members of the Rail, Shipping and Transport Union and the Private Transport Employed Union crippled services on Wednesday, with only one in five trains running and some areas with no trains at all. Mick Whelan, Aslef general secretary, said: “Strikes are always a last resort. “We don’t want to inconvenience passengers – our friends and families also use public transport – and we don’t want to lose money from the strike, but we’ve been forced into this position by the companies, who say they’ve been driven into it by the government. “Many of our members, who were the men and women who moved essential workers and goods across the country during the pandemic, have not had a pay rise since 2019. “With inflation running north of 10%, this means these drivers have had pay cuts in real terms over the past three years. “We want an increase commensurate 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 as the train companies are doing very well, thank you, outside of British Rail – with big profits, dividends for shareholders and big salaries for managers – and drivers don’t want to work more for less. “Wage increases do not feed inflation. Excessive speculation is, but the government is not asking companies to cut profits or dividend payments to help manage inflation. Wages chase prices, not raise them. “We don’t see why we should skip the wage increase to keep up with inflation and help the privatized train companies make even more profits to send overseas.” Drivers at Avanti West Coast and CrossCountry voted more than 9-1 in favor of the strike, it was announced on Wednesday. They will strike on August 13 along with drivers at Greater Anglia, Great Western Railway, Hull Trains, LNER, London Overground, Southeastern and West Midlands Trains. A row has erupted between unions and Transport Secretary Grant Shapps after he unveiled plans to curb industrial action, including ending concerted industrial action, curbing picketing and a cooling-off period after strikes.
