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ASLEF members working as drivers for over a dozen train operators will strike this Friday 12th May, and then again on Wednesday 31st May and Saturday 3rd June, while an overtime ban will also be put in place.
Meanwhile, the RMT has called a strike by its members working at 14 train operators on Saturday 13th May.
The Tory government has threatened to use its new Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) anti-union law against the rail unions and attack their right to strike this weekend.
The RMT, has staged 24 days of strike action in the current wave of strikes, with ASLEF striking on eight previous occasions.
Mick Whelan, ASLEF general secretary, said ahead of this week’s strike action: ‘We do not want to go on strike.
‘We do not want to inconvenience passengers, we have families and friends who use the railway, too, and we believe in investing in rail for the future of this country.
‘But the blame for this action lies, fairly and squarely, at the feet of the employers who have forced our hand over this by their intransigence.
‘The proposal – of just 4 per cent – was clearly not designed to be accepted as inflation is still running north of 10 per cent and our members at these companies have not had an increase for four years.’
Whelan said the companies involved are ‘letting down passengers, and taxpayers,’ and that ‘proposals to modernise Britain’s railways and help them run more efficiently’ have been rejected.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: ‘The RDG (Rail Delivery Group) have reneged on their original proposals and torpedoed these negotiations.
‘No doubt their decision is due to pressure exerted on them by the Tory government.
‘Therefore, we have no alternative but to press ahead with more strike action and continue our campaign for a negotiated settlement on pay, conditions and job security.’
The post TORIES ‘FORCING’ WEEKEND RAIL STRIKES – insist ASLEF’s Whelan and the RMT’s Lynch appeared first on Workers Revolutionary Party.
