New round of train and tube strikes set for April and May

A fresh wave of train and tube strikes have been announced for April and May.

Train drivers who are members of ASLEF, the train drivers’ trade union, are scheduled to engage in a programme of rolling one-day strikes, as well as a six-day overtime ban, next month.

Members will walk out at Avanti West Coast, East Midlands Railway, West Midlands Trains, and CrossCountry on Friday 5 April; at Chiltern, GWR, LNER, Northern, and TransPennine Trains on Saturday 6 April; and at c2c, Greater Anglia, GTR Great Northern Thameslink, Southeastern, Southern/Gatwick Express, South Western Railway main line and depot drivers, and SWR Island Line on Monday 8 April.

ASLEF members will also not work on rest days from Thursday 4 April to Saturday 6 April and from Monday 8 April to Tuesday 9 April.

Tube train drivers who are members of ASLEF, which make up 96% of train drivers in Britain, will also strike on Monday 8 April and Saturday 4 May as a result of a dispute over working conditions.

Finn Brennan, ASLEF’s full-time organiser on the London Underground, said: “Despite a previous commitment to withdraw plans for massive changes to drivers’ working conditions, London Underground management has established a full-time team of managers preparing to impose their plans.”

Mick Whelan, general secretary of ASLEF, added: “Last month, when we announced renewed mandates for industrial action, because, under the Tories’ draconian anti-union laws, we have to ballot our members every six months, we called on the train companies, and the government, to come to the table for meaningful talks to negotiate a new pay deal for train drivers who have not had an increase in salary since 2019.”

The hospitality industry is estimated to have lost over £4b as a result of the 20-month dispute.

Walkouts will take place on the following dates:

Friday 5 April: Avanti West Coast, East Midlands Railway, West Midlands Trains, and CrossCountry

Saturday 6 April: Chiltern, GWR, LNER, Northern, and TransPennine Trains

Monday 8 April: c2c, Greater Anglia, GTR Great Northern Thameslink, Southeastern, Southern/Gatwick Express, South Western Railway main line and depot drivers, SWR Island Line and London Underground

Saturday 4 May: London Underground

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