An ongoing series of strikes disrupted rail travel in the second half of 2022, and the strikes have continued into this year.The industrial action has involved various unions, with the ongoing disputes centred around pay, jobs and conditions.A new series of strike dates has been announced by the Rail, Martine and Transport union (RMT) in March and April – here’s everything you need to know.When is the next train strike?The next train strike is being held on Thursday 16 March, involving RMT members working for Network Rail and 14 major rail companies.This will be followed by further walkous from staff working for the 14 train firms on:
Saturday 18 March
Thursday 30 March
Saturday 1 April
The operators affected by the series of strikes are:
Avanti West Coast
Chiltern
CrossCountry
c2c
East Midlands
Gatwick Express
Greater Anglia
Great Northern
Great Western
LNER
Northern
Southeastern
Southern
South Western
Thameslink
TransPennine Express
West Midlands
Previous major action from the RMT has resulted in up to 80 per cent of the country’s rail network brought to a halt.It is therefore expected that most operators will either be running no trains at all or a severely reduced service during the walkouts, with trains starting later and finishing earlier than usual.The operators will provide more information on how timetables will be affected closer to the time, and you can find the latest advice from National Rail here.A separate series of 48-hour walkouts is being organised by railway engineering workers who are members of the same union in a dispute over pay.Staff at Balfour Beatty will strike on 3 to 5 March, 10 to 12 March and 17 to 19 March – each walkout will begin at 10pm and end at 10am.RMT general secretary Mick Lynch (far left) joins striking workers (Photo: PA)Why are the train strikes happening?This latest round of strikes was announced after the RMT accused employers of refusing to put any new offers on the table, a week after its refusal of the latest proposals.Mick Lynch, the RMT general secretary, said: “Rail employers are not being given a fresh mandate by the Government to offer our members a new deal on pay, conditions and job security.“Therefore, our members will now take sustained and targeted industrial action over the next few months.“The Government can settle this dispute easily by unshackling the rail companies. However, its stubborn refusal to do so will now mean more strike action across the railway network and a very disruptive overtime ban.“Ministers cannot continue to sit on their hands hoping this dispute will go away as our members are fully prepared to fight tooth and nail for a negotiated settlement in the months ahead.”More on StrikesA Rail Delivery Group spokesperson said: “This latest round of strikes is totally unjustified and will be an inconvenience to our customers, and cost our people more money at a time they can least afford it.“The RMT leadership’s decision not to put the deal out to a referendum means that thousands of their lowest paid members have been denied a chance to have a say on an offer which would give them a pay increase of over 13 per cent.”Mark Harper, the Transport Seretary, said: “Just days after denying its members a say on their own future, the RMT leadership is now trying to make them lose multiple days’ wages through yet more strikes.“Passengers want this dispute to end. We have facilitated fair and reasonable offers on pay and reform – with a pay rise worth 5% last year and 4% this year – but, sadly, the RMT leadership is not interested.”
I'm a graduate of Biochemistry from University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I completed mysecondary education at Living Word Academy Secondary, Nkwere at Imo State. I love reading books, programming, good music, movies and tv shows.
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