More train strikes are set to hit passengers in the coming months as disputes between trade unions and train companies rumble on.
Rail workers for London Northeastern Railway (LNER) services are set to take action to protest against poor pay and working conditions.
Services between London and Edinburgh – via Newcastle, York and Durham – will be hit with 22 days of strikes – starting imminently, trade bosses have confirmed.
It is the latest sector to protest via a work halt, after junior doctors and airport staff Heathrow stood their ground in July.
Here are the strike dates and details.
Junior doctors are to stage a strike at the same time general election campaigning is under way
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When are the next train strike dates?
Strikes on LNER services will take place every Saturday from August 31 to November 9, and every Sunday from September 1 to November 10. There will be a total of 22 strike days spread over three months.
The last ASLEF train strike took place in May.
What train lines will be affected?
Only LNER services will be impacted by the upcoming strikes. LNER runs on the east coast of the UK, between Edinburgh and London King’s Cross calling at stations including York, Durham and Newcastle.
Are there anymore nationwide train strikes imminent?
Following the last bout of ASLEF strikes in May – which saw train drivers at 16 operators across the UK walk out over three days between May 7 and 9 – no further action has been called for British train services.
ASLEF and the Department for Transport have reportedly struck a deal for backdated pay rises, meaning the dispute could soon be formally resolved.
Under terms of the new deal, ASLEF drivers are set to receive a backdated 5 percent pay increase for 2022/23, a 4.75 percent rise for 2023/24, and 4.5 percent increase for 2024/25.
Who else has gone on strike this year?
Junior doctors went on strike the week before the general election after mediated talks with the Government collapsed. They walked out from 7am on June 27 until 7am on July 2 in the long-running dispute over pay between doctors in training and the Government.
The co-chairmen of the BMA junior doctors committee, Dr Robert Laurenson and Dr Vivek Trivedi, said: “We made clear to the Government that we would strike unless discussions ended in a credible pay offer.”
The health secretary, Victoria Atkins, said in response: “I’ll always deal constructively if the other side does too. Junior doctors should take note and start acting like they want a better deal for their members.”
The action saw 61,989 inpatient and outpatient appointments rescheduled, and 23,001 staff were absent from work due to strikes at the peak of the action in England, according to data from the NHS.
NHS national medical director Professor Sir Stephen Powis said: “These figures bring into sharp focus the impact that this latest round of industrial action has had on patients, with nearly 62,000 appointments postponed in recent days – but we know in reality this is likely to be even higher.”
Once Labour were in power, talks resumed and the Government put forward an offer which will invest an average of a further 4.05% into 2023-24 pay scales for junior doctors. This means that the 2023-24 pay scales are on average 13.2% higher than in 2022-23 – an improvement of 4.4 percentage points from the current 2023 – 24 pay scales.
The referendum is now open from August 19 until September 15 for doctors to vote on whether to accept the deal.
UK Border Force in action
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GP partners/contractors in England have voted overwhelmingly for collective action, which the BMA are urging practices to start immediately, which began on August 1 and are ongoing.
The BMA say: “We have had several meetings with the new Secretary of State, and shared our vision for the future of general practice. We remain open to continuing discussions, to ensure GPs secure the contract that patients and staff deserve.”
The PCS union said: “Following the end of the last strike action at the beginning of May, we wrote to the Home Office again highlighting the many problems raised with the new roster system and reminding the employer there remains widespread disquiet and anger from members over this.
“We have set out to the Home Office that we are keen to try to find a resolution. But it was only following the threat of further strike action that the Home Office has only just indicated they are willing to meet however, as yet there’s been no consideration of the impact of the new roster on staff nor has the employer come back with any proposed changes.
“Therefore, as it stands the action will go ahead.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “We are disappointed with the union’s decision to strike but remain open to discussing a resolution.”
Further strike dates have also been announced, with the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union said that 650 of its members will be joining the industrial action through August and September.
Border Force officers at Heathrow airport will strike from August 31 until September 3. After the main strike days, there will be a ban on overtime, which will continue until September 22. Work-to-rule, where the minimum required work is done, will also apply during this overtime ban period.
The PCS members are taking the action over a new work roster that was imposed at the airport in April. The union said that since the roster was imposed, “around 160 staff have left because of the lack of flexibility and changes to the shifts”
