rain drivers will ban extra time on Friday forward of two days of strikes which can trigger contemporary journey chaos for passengers.
Members of Aslef at 16 practice operators in England are embroiled in a long-running dispute over pay, with no signal of a breakthrough.
The drivers will strike on Saturday and once more subsequent Wednesday, coinciding with the annual convention of the Conservative get together in Manchester.
They are going to ban extra time on Friday and from October 2 to six.
Our members haven’t had a pay rise for 4 years – since 2019 – and that’s not proper when costs have soared in that point
Aslef mentioned the strikes will drive practice working corporations to cancel all companies whereas the ban on extra time will severely disrupt the community.
The union mentioned practice corporations have at all times didn’t make use of sufficient drivers to offer a correct service.
Mick Whelan, Aslef’s common secretary, mentioned: “Whereas we remorse having to take this motion – we don’t wish to lose a day’s pay, or disrupt passengers, as they attempt to journey by practice – the federal government, and the employers, have pressured us into this place.
“Our members haven’t had a pay rise for 4 years – since 2019 – and that’s not proper when costs have soared in that point.
“Prepare drivers, completely moderately, need to have the ability to purchase now what they might purchase 4 years in the past.”
A spokesperson for Rail Delivery Group, mentioned: “Our provide to Aslef would take common driver salaries to £65,000 for a four-day week – that’s greater than double the typical UK wage and plenty of drivers prime up their earnings additional by working extra time.
It’s apparent that the sector can solely fund a pay rise by altering the way it delivers companies so it may possibly reply to that transformation in how the general public use the railway
“We’re prepared and keen to speak to Aslef’s leaders so we will finish this damaging dispute however any talks about pay additionally want to handle working practices that date again many years.
“The trade relies on a month-to-month injection of as much as £175 million from the taxpayer as a result of revenues are nonetheless 30% beneath pre-pandemic ranges – whereas concurrently dealing with unprecedented adjustments in buyer journey patterns.
“It’s apparent that the sector can solely fund a pay rise by altering the way it delivers companies so it may possibly reply to that transformation in how the general public use the railway.
“Which means placing managers – fairly than unions – answerable for planning shifts.
“It means permitting managers to answer sudden workers absences to allow them to cut back the last-minute cancellations that so frustrate our clients.
“It means giving our clients extra dependable practice companies after they really wish to use them – notably on Sundays. That’s how any trade survives and thrives.”
A Division for Transport spokesperson mentioned: “The Government spent £31 billion of taxpayers’ cash – £1,000 per family – to guard rail staff’ jobs in the course of the pandemic.
“There’s a honest and cheap provide on the desk that might take practice drivers salaries from £60,000 to £65,000 for a 35-hour, four-day week.
“Aslef’s leaders gained’t put this provide to their members and as an alternative proceed to strike – damaging their very own trade within the course of.”