August bank holiday train strike chaos as 20,000 rail workers set to down tools

11 August 2023 , 14:50

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There are more train strikes planned for the end of August and start of September (Image: Guy Bell/REX/Shutterstock)

Around 20,000 RMT members will strike on August 26 and September 2 in a dispute over pay, jobs and conditions.

Targeting the Bank Holiday weekend and the first Saturday of next month, 14 train operators will walk out the union has announced. Passengers are facing yet more disruption after the latest industrial action was announced as the long-running battle continues to rage.

It comes after “no improved or revised offer from the Rail Delivery Group”, RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said. He explained: “The reason for this is the government has not allowed them a fresh mandate on which discussions could be held.

“Our members and our union will continue fighting until we can reach a negotiated and just settlement.” The train operating companies affected are by the strike action include Chiltern Railways, Cross Country Trains, Greater Anglia, LNER, East Midlands Railway and c2c.

Staff at Great Western Railway, Northern Trains, South Eastern, South Western Railway, Transpennine Express, Avanti West Coast, West Midlands Trains and GTR will also walk out. Friday's announcement comes as junior doctors begin their latest industrial action.

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In a statement, the RMT said members of "every grade of 14 train operating companies will take further strike action in the national dispute over working conditions, pay and job security".

The union say workers been left with little choice but to take further action with no improved or revised offer from the Rail Delivery Group. The latest action from the union was a one-day strike on Saturday July 29, as members picketed across the UK.

The union has been embroiled in the dispute for over a year, with no sign of a breakthrough. Controversial plans to close most ticket offices have worsened the dispute.

There is currently ongoing action from ASLEF train drivers, who are refusing to work overtime. The six train companies affected by the overtime ban are Chiltern Railways, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Southern, South Western Railway and Thameslink.

The 14 train firms affected:

• Avanti West Coast
• c2c
• Chiltern Railways
• Cross Country Trains
• East Midlands Railway
• Great Western Railway
• Greater Anglia
• LNER
• Northern Trains
• South Eastern
• South Western Railway
• Transpennine Express
• West Midlands Trains and GTR (including Gatwick Express)

Sam Elliott-Gibbs