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Additional rail strikes are imminent. Employees who operate trains for two major rail companies in the United Kingdom will go on strike on March 1, which is unrelated to the ongoing national conflict concerning compensation and terms.
The individuals operating on the East Coast main line and serving the north of England are members of Aslef who work for LNER, the primary operator.
Both railway companies are owned by the government, as they were returned to public ownership after the previous franchise holders stepped down.
Numerous trains will not run due to the strikes. Furthermore, there will be a restriction on working extra hours on the days before and after, specifically Thursday 29 February and Saturday 2 March.
Aslef has called for industrial action due to LNER and Northern’s ongoing failure to adhere to current agreements.
According to sources, the union is dissatisfied with LNER’s frequent use of managers as train drivers on certain routes, and the strained local labor relations at Northern.
Mick Whelan, the leader of Aslef, expressed frustration with the continuous dishonesty displayed by these two companies on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.
“We consistently adhere to the agreements we make. These companies believe they have the ability to disregard agreements, which they willingly enter, whenever it is convenient for them. However, they are mistaken.”
This is a warning to them and an indication of future events.
“They must cease their actions, adopt proper and honorable behavior, as our drivers – who are our members – are no longer willing to endure such treatment.”
A representative from LNER stated that their main objective is to reduce any inconvenience to customers caused by ongoing Aslef strikes, which unfortunately will result in delays and disturbances.
We urge Aslef to keep collaborating with us in order to find a resolution to this ongoing conflict, as it only harms the railway sector.
Tricia Williams, the COO of Northern, expressed surprise and disappointment regarding the call for strike action due to a disagreement that has been actively worked on for resolution.
We urge Aslef to collaborate with us in finding a resolution and preventing additional inconvenience for our customers.
Based on past train driver strikes, it is likely that Northern will not operate any trains on March 1st. However, LNER will still have a limited schedule, running fewer hours and only between London King’s Cross, Edinburgh, York, and Newcastle.
There are still options for travel with other train companies that service the same routes, like Hull Trains for trips between London and Hull, and TransPennine Express for travel between Manchester and Leeds.
During the days impacted by the overtime ban, Northern will probably cancel a large number of trains while LNER may cancel or shorten certain services.
The Independent has requested a response from LNER and Northern.
Shortly after Mr. Whelan extended an invitation to government officials and train operators for new negotiations, the strike was declared in an effort to prevent additional nationwide rail strikes.
No advancements have been achieved in negotiations since rail companies put forth a proposal – which was promptly turned down by Aslef – in April 2023.
Train operators at the 14 railway companies under government control, such as LNER and Northern, have gone on strike multiple times in the last 19 months.
Members of Aslef at five different train companies have recently voted by a large majority to extend their strike.
Source: independent.co.uk
