Today is set to be another huge day of strike action (PictureL Metro.co.uk)
Train drivers, driving instructors, and bus services are all on strike today on what has been dubbed as ‘Tragic Thursday’.
It is estimated just 10% of services will be running on one of the worst days of action for decades.
Around 12,500 train drivers from 15 firms will take part in the mass walkout.
It comes as over the last week we have seen strike action from 40,000 workers on Network Rail and 14 train operating companies who have continued to strike.
RMT members were on strike for 48 hours causing travel chaos for people across the UK.
But today it is the turn of Aslef – which represents 96% of the train drivers in England, Scotland and Wales – who will continue into their second day of strikes in two days.
Rail workers on the picket line at Grand Central Station in Birmingham yesterday (Picture: PA)
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The strike will bring services on affected lines to a halt and comes as more and more people in many different sectors of the economy are withdrawing their labour as employers refuse to help their employees during the cost-of-living crisis.
But it’s not the end, as those from The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers are also set to walk out tomorrow and on Friday.
It includes train drivers at 15 rail operators and is likely to shut down much of the country’s rail network.
On all five days of action, trains will start later and finish much earlier than usual, running between 7.30am and 6.30pm, National Rail has warned.
Tickets for 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 January can instead be used the day before the date on the ticket, or up to and including Tuesday 10 January.
Timeline of strikes over the next few weeks
– January 5
Train workers at 15 operators with the Aslef union to stage a 24-hour walkout.
The DVSA strike continues in London, the South East, South Wales and the South West.
RPA staff will continue their walkout.
London bus workers at Abellio to go on strike.
– January 6
RMT rail workers will stage another 48-hour strike.
National Highways workers to stage a two-day action in the East Midlands and eastern England.
The DVSA strike continues in London, the South East, South Wales and the South West.
RPA staff to continue their walkout.
– January 7
The RMT rail workers’ walkout continues.
National Highways workers will continue their strike in the East Midlands and eastern England.
The DVSA strike continues in London, the South East, South Wales and the South West.
– January 8
The DVSA strike continues in London, the South East, South Wales and the South West.
– January 9
The DVSA strike continues in London, the South East, South Wales and the South West.
RPA staff to continue their walkout.
– January 10
The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) union will stage a national strike in primary schools, special schools and early years sites.
The DVSA strike continues in London, the South East, South Wales and the South West.
RPA staff to continue their walkout.
London bus workers at Abellio to go on strike.
– January 11
Unison members working for five ambulance services in England will stage a fresh walkout.
The GMB union, also representing ambulance staff, has now scheduled further strike action for this date.
EIS, joined by the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association, will stage another national strike in secondary schools and secondary special schools.
RPA staff will continue their walkout.
– January 12
Workers on London’s Elizabeth line will go on strike.
London bus workers at Abellio will also stage industrial action.
RPA staff will continue their walkout.
– January 13
RPA staff to continue their walkout.
– January 16
EIS to stage a national strike for 16 consecutive days until February 2, which will see members in two local authorities strike each day.
London bus workers at Abellio will go on strike.
– January 18
Royal College of Nursing (RCN) members in England will strike.
– January 19
London bus workers at Abellio will go on strike.
RCN members in England will continue their strike.
– January 23
Unison members working for five ambulance services in England will stage another walkout.
– January 25
London bus workers at Abellio will go on strike.
– January 26
London bus workers at Abellio will continue strike.
Train drivers are joined today by London bus workers at Abellio, who are striking for eight days in total this month.
Abellio buses have been affected on strike days – with other buses running but busier than usual.
The action started back on December 8, but the bus strike dates around New Year included today and yesterday. Dozens of buses in London are going to be impacted by strikes.
Rural Payments Agency (RPA) staff will also resume their strikes.
Driving tests have likewise been disrupted today – with DVSA driving examiners’ strike starting in London, the South East, South Wales and the South West.
‘We don’t want to go on strike but the companies have pushed us into this place,’ said Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef.
He added: ‘They have not offered our members at these companies a penny – and these are people who have not had an increase since April 2019.
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‘That means they expect train drivers at these companies to take a real-terms pay cut – to work just as hard for considerably less – when inflation is running at north of 14%.’
Mick said: ‘The train companies say their hands have been tied by the government. While the government – which does not employ us – says it’s up to the companies to negotiate with us.
‘We are always happy to negotiate – we never refuse to sit down at the table and talk – but these companies have offered us nothing. And that is unacceptable.’
Yesterday TUC (Trades Union Congress) leader Paul Nowak called for a change in government direction, saying ministers should open pay negotiations with unions.
In a letter to Rishi Sunak, Mr Nowak said public services were in crisis after years of ‘underfunding and understaffing’.
He wrote: ‘We can’t solve these problems without a fair deal for the people on the frontline.
‘Every month experienced employees are quitting, with one in three public service staff now taking steps to leave their professions or actively considering it.
‘This is simply unsustainable.
‘But we cannot fix the staffing crisis in our schools, hospitals and elsewhere if we do not fix the underlying causes.
‘That means talking in an open and constructive way about improving public sector pay. But so far your ministers have refused to negotiate directly about pay with unions.’
The mass strike action could cause chaos for commuters (Picture: Getty)
Driving examiners and supporters picket outside a Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency office in a strike yesterday (Picture: Getty)
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Mr Nowak said unions worked closely with Mr Sunak during the pandemic to deliver the furlough scheme and protect millions of jobs, adding: ‘That’s the kind of mature approach we need now.
‘Unions have already made clear their willingness to sit down with the Government and talk about boosting pay.
‘But while your ministers continue to refuse point blank to discuss improving wages, there can be no resolution.
‘In the NHS, for example, appropriate structures already exist to allow the immediate start of pay negotiations involving health unions, employers and ministers.
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‘This was exactly what happened in 2018, leading to the three-year wage deal.
‘We want to find a resolution to the current disputes so our public service staff can get on with doing the jobs they love.
‘And so our public services can start to improve for everyone who relies on them.’
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch warned on Tuesday that industrial action will need to continue beyond May unless a reasonable offer to resolve the row over pay, jobs and conditions is made to the union.
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Today has been dubbed as ‘Tragic Thursday’ due to the huge amount of industrial strike action taking place.
