Union Aslef announces new train strikes for January and February 2024
Train drivers are to stage a fresh round of strikes – causing more travel chaos for passengers.
Union Aslef has announced a rolling programme of one-day strikes from January 30 to February 5 expected to lead to the cancellation of thousands of services.
Alongside this is a self-imposed overtime ban by workers that will take place for nine days from January 29.
The union, which rejected a pay offer back in the spring, has been embroiled in an 18 month-long disagreement with bosses over pay.
Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan said: “We have given the Government every opportunity to come to the table but it has now been a year since we had any contact from the Department for Transport. It’s clear they do not want to resolve this dispute.
“Many of our members have not had a single penny increase to their pay for half a decade, during which time inflation has soared and, with it, the cost of living.”
It is not the first time the union has embarked on a programme of rolling strikes.
Industrial action by Aslef last took place across six dates in December – putting people’s Christmas plans in jeopardy – as union members in different parts of the country walked out on different days.
The strikes could also be the first big test of a new law introducing Minimum Service Levels during industrial action – which in the case of train services is set at 40%.
The new regulations mean employers can demand a certain number of staff work to ensure the company can meet that level of service – albeit it’s not yet clear whether train companies will choose to implement the rules for this round of strikes.
With more than 14 train operating companies affected by the latest action, strikes are set to take place on the following dates:
*Southeastern, GTR Southern/Gatwick Express, GTR Great Northern Thameslink, SWR Island Line, and South Western Railway main line and depot drivers on Tuesday, January 30
*Northern Trains and TransPennine Trains on Wednesday, January 31
*C2C, Greater Anglia, and LNER on Friday, February 2
*Avanti West Coast, East Midlands Railway, and West Midlands Trains on Saturday, February 3
*Chiltern, CrossCountry, and GWR on Monday, February 5
