Rail passengers in the UK are set to suffer more disruption during July as two major unions take industrial action in long-running pay disputes with train companies.
Train drivers’ union Aslef has announced that its members at 16 train operating companies will refuse to work overtime during the week of 17-22 July.
The latest Aslef overtime ban will coincide with three days of strikes organised by the RMT union on 20, 22 and 29 July, which will affect around 20,000 staff at 14 train operators. RMT is locked into its own separate dispute over pay with train companies.
Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan said: “Train drivers don’t want to be inconveniencing the public. We want to resolve this dispute.
“We have given the government and rail operators plenty of opportunities to come to the table but it remains clear that they do not want a resolution.”
Aslef is already holding a one-week overtime ban this week running from 3-8 July, which has led to Gatwick Express running no services between London and the airport during this period. Other train operators are also having to cancel some trains, with more short-notice changes expected during this week.
The union’s overtime ban affects the following operators: Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Greater Anglia, Great Western Railway, GTR Great Northern-Thameslink, Island Line, London North East Railway, Northern, Southeastern, Southern and Gatwick Express, South Western Railway, TransPennine Express and West Midlands Trains.