More rail strikes expected as Northern and TransPennine Express drivers vote for industrial action

Train drivers employed by Northern and TransPennine Express have voted overwhelmingly for strike action as a long-running dispute over pay continues. Aslef union members have backed walkouts with turnouts above 80% - with 97.1% of votes backing strike action at TransPennine and 96.6% supporting strike action at Northern.

Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef, insisted strikes were always the last resort. He added: “You can see from the votes - and the turnouts - just how angry our members are.

“These are the men and women who moved key workers and goods around the country during the pandemic, yet have not had a pay rise since 2019. With inflation running at north of 10% - and set to go much higher - several train companies are saying that they want their drivers to take a real-terms pay cut.

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"Their attitude is ‘suck it up’ - and that stinks." Aslef members employed Chiltern - which operates services between London and the midlands - also backed strike action, the union confirmed today.

Mr Whelan added: “We now have mandates at 12 companies. After our one-day strike on August 13, the Rail Delivery Group, the pressure group which represents the interests of the privatised train operating companies, asked for talks.

"Those talks were strained, but quite constructive. There were no concrete proposals but dialogue will, we hope, continue.

“That’s why we are calling on the companies to come to the table with a proper proposal to help our members, their drivers, buy this year what they could buy last year. That is the way to prevent another strike and all the disruption that causes. The ball is now firmly in the train companies’ court.”

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