BREAKING NEWS
Rail users in England are facing a week of disruption due to strike action by participants of train drivers’ union Aslef.
Train corporations are no longer using a brand new law allowing them to state some personnel to work so that a minimum stage of services can bustle.
Which train routes are affected and when?
Excessive disruption is expected on strike days between Tuesday 30 January and Monday 5 February.
Numerous operators are affected on diverse days, with some running no trains:
- Friday 2 February: Bigger Anglia, C2C, LNER
- Saturday 3 February: West Midlands Trains, Avanti West Waft, East Midlands Railway
- Monday 5 February: Extensive Western, CrossCountry, Chiltern
There’ll likely be no strike action on Thursday 1 February or Sunday 4 February.
Then again, Aslef participants are also refusing to work extra time between Monday 29 January and Tuesday 6 February. This can also build off some cancellations and delays.
Passengers are informed to take a look at earlier than they traipse back and forth. Essentially the most up-to-date information could well even be came upon on National Rail.
Just among the affected train operators bustle services into Scotland and Wales.
In Scotland, there are no walkouts nonetheless there will likely be disruption to ScotRail services. This is due to security work at Ratho railway space, to install netting to stop rockfalls.
This can also limit services between Edinburgh and Glasgow, Bathgate, Linlithgow, Stirling and Inverness.
What’s the brand new minimum carrier stages law?
The government handed a brand new law which device train corporations can require adequate personnel to work on strike days to bustle 40% of services.
At the moment, few or no services in overall bustle when train drivers strike.
The Department for Transport said it expects employers to employ minimum carrier stages “if acceptable to finish so, and to whine the handiest doubtless carrier”.
But none of the operators affected have finished so, which High Minister Rishi Sunak has described as “disappointing”.
The rules are complicated to set aside in build, says BBC transport correspondent Katy Austin. One source told the BBC it device co-ordinating a reduced timetable with diverse operators in a instant home of time.
Plus, unions strongly oppose them.
Train operator LNER, which operates on the East Waft Mainline, reportedly planned to employ the rules during a stroll-out in February.
In response, Aslef called for 5 extra days of strikes, earlier than every facet rowed relief.
Are there any rail strikes planned by diverse unions?
Industrial action by Aslef and the RMT union has supposed stout disruption during the final couple of years.
In November closing year, RMT participants, including guards and ticket build of job personnel, voted to settle for a pay offer. This included a backdated pay upward thrust of 5% for 2022-23 as neatly as job security ensures.
Their acceptance device they’re going to no longer be involved in industrial action until no no longer up to the spring.
Then again, talks with the RMT over future pay deals and working practices will continue.
Unions in disputes need to reballot participants every six months to seek in the event that they wish to continue with industrial action.
At the moment, unions are obliged to give no no longer up to 14 days’ scrutinize of any strike action.
Can I regain my a refund for strike days?
Rail passengers with advance tickets could well even be refunded fee-free if the train they’re booked on is cancelled, delayed or rescheduled.
If passengers have a return ticket they’ll even be entitled to a fee-free refund if any phase of the lumber is cancelled due to strikes.
Season ticket holders (flexi, month-to-month or longer) who can no longer traipse back and forth, can speak 100% compensation for strike dates by the Prolong Repay intention.
What’s the strike about?
Aslef is seeking better pay for its participants.
Then again, train operators explain suggestions of working need to exchange for wages to upward thrust, due to financial challenges and fairness to taxpayers.
Aslef says drivers are being requested to sacrifice working stipulations in alternate for a below-inflation wage increase.
In April 2023, Aslef’s govt committee rejected 4% pay rises for two years in a row. This became once on condition that they would settle for industry-extensive changes to driver training, and negotiate changes to work patterns at individual operators.
There have been no formal talks since.
The government controls how grand money is on the desk and has the final explain over what’s offered. Ministers and industry negotiators have urged the union to give participants a vote.
How grand are rail employees paid?
The typical salary of rail employees in 2022 became once £45,919, according to the Teach of job for National Statistics (ONS).
If drivers are excluded (because they have an inclination to be participants of the Aslef union, no longer RMT) its estimate is £39,518. Then again, the RMT union said that determine became once too high because it does no longer include rail cleaning personnel.
The ONS says median pay for “train and tram drivers” is fair below £59,000.
Train corporations and the govt.explain the offer rejected by Aslef would steal moderate train driver pay to £65,000.
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