June might’ve seen some sort of respite for London commuters from strike action, but, as previously threatened, major industrial action is kicking off once again in July. Strike action is taking place across the country, but it’s also affecting the capital. Here’s everything we know about the situation right now.
When are the next London train strikes?
The strikes planned by Aslef workers working for Avanti West Coast on July 2, but there are now new dates to look out for during the on month.
A fresh wave of strikes has recently been announced by RMT union. More than 20,000 workers across 14 rail companies will go on strike on three days: July 20, 22 and 29, after negotiations between rail firms and the government stalled.
Which London train lines will be affected?
A large number of lines will be affected by the strikes.
- Avanti West Coast
- c2c
- Chiltern Railways
- Cross Country Trains
- East Midlands Railway
- Greater Anglia
- Great Western Railway
- GTR
- LNER
- Northern Trains
- South Eastern
- South Western Railway
- Transpennine Express
- West Midlands Trains
For Londoners, it’s worth noting that GTR operates Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern and Gatwick Express services. The Stanstead Express will also be affected.
Are there any tube strikes?
There are no tube strikes currently planned. But many London underground workers belong to the RMT union, and a few weeks 96 per cent of them voted in favour of industrial action, so expect more disruption this summer.
Will the Elizabeth line be on strike?
The Elizabeth line is not set to be affected by the next strike action.
Will strikes affect the Eurostar?
Eurostar is also not expected to be affected by the upcoming strike dates. Find the latest details on the Eurostar website.
Why are UK train workers striking?
The RMT and Aslef have been fighting for a pay rise and better working conditions for more than a year.
Mick Whelan, Aslef’s general secretary, said: ‘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. It is now up to them to come up with a more sensible, and realistic, offer and we ask the government not to hinder this process.’
‘Yet quite incredibly neither party has made any attempt whatsoever to arrange any meetings or put forward a decent offer that can help us reach a negotiated solution. The government continues to shackle the companies and will not allow them to put forward a package that can settle this dispute.
‘Our members have now voted 3 times to take strike action over the last 12 months - the most of recent of which coincided with having the full details of the substandard offer from the rail operators.
‘They voted by 9-1 to renew their strike mandate and RMT will continue its industrial campaign until we reach a negotiated settlement on pay, working conditions and job security.’
What will the government’s proposed anti-strike laws mean for London?
A bill that would require striking workers to meet ‘minimum service levels’ was debated in Parliament in early May. The bill just passed its third reading in the House of Lords, meaning it is now on to its final stages before being made into law.
Rishi Sunak’s proposed anti-strike legislation would ensure ‘minimum service levels’ on key public services, including trains, making it pretty difficult for things to grind to a complete halt.
The law would allow bosses in rail, health, fire, ambulance, education and nuclear commissioning to sue unions and even sack employees if minimum services aren’t met during strikes.
However, many people, including opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer, have expressed concern that these laws could infringe on workers’ fundamental right to strike.
As for London trains, the legislation could make strike action less severe. With a minimum service, it would be less likely for there to be absolutely no tubes, Overgrounds or trains.
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