TSSA confirms new strike dates
Rail union TSSA has today confirmed new dates for industrial action in a continuation of the ongoing dispute over pay, job security and conditions. The action announced today will see thousands of TSSA members in Network Rail and 11 train operating companies take strike action and action short of strike on Saturday 1 October, with individual companies taking strike action on 5th, 6th and 8th October. Members involved in the action include staff working in ticket offices, stations, control rooms, and other support roles across Britain.
The announcement comes after TSSA cancelled strike dates scheduled for September following the death of Queen Elizabeth. The new strike date will be the third day of nationwide, multi-operator strike action this year by TSSA members. Strike action on 1 October is being taken for the first time by members in train operators West Midlands Trains, Transpennine Express and South Western Railway following successful ballots.
Full details for each operator are outlined below. TSSA is seeking a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies, a pay rise which meets the cost-of-living crisis and no unagreed changes to terms and conditions. TSSA General Secretary, Manuel Cortes, said:
“We do not take this action lightly. We would much rather find a fair negotiated solution to this now long-running dispute, but we simply have no choice.
A huge number of rail workers in our union, many of whom are longstanding members, had never been directly involved in an industrial dispute before this year. Across our railways, our members recently stepped up to the plate yet again and went above and beyond to meet unprecedented demand during the period of public mourning to provide additional services and keep the public safe, much like they did during the pandemic. They prove their worth time and time again and yet they are still undervalued.
We can only hope the new Secretary of State for Transport can see sense where her predecessor could not.
She has the power to mandate a fair pay rise, reasonable terms and conditions and end this dispute.
It is time for Train Operators to meet us round the table and reach fair solutions.”