Rail strikes throughout the UK are set to escalate immediately as drivers start a brand new walkout – that means some areas could have no trains in any respect.
Although 48 hours of commercial motion by the RMT union has now come to an finish, members of the Aslef union are actually hanging as a part of a long-running dispute over pay.
New 12 months, new strikes – who’s strolling out and when
Drivers at 15 rail corporations are concerned, and right here is how commuters shall be affected:
• Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Northern, Southern, Southeastern, Thameslink and TransPennine Express will run no trains all day
• Rail hyperlinks to the UK’s two busiest airports shall be minimize, with Gatwick Express and Heathrow Express shutting down
• Trains will run in Wales, most of Scotland, and on components of the South Western Railway community
• Services are additionally going to function on the London Overground and Elizabeth Line
Overall, it is estimated that simply 20% of regular companies will run – with passengers going through a 3rd consecutive day of intensive disruption throughout the first working week of 2023.
And additional strikes are looming, with the RMT set to stage one other 48-hour strike on Friday and Saturday.
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The Aslef union represents practice drivers, and its common secretary Mick Whelan has warned that further walkouts are “inevitable”.
Threatening that strike motion might escalate even additional, Mr Whelan mentioned: “The situation is getting worse and my members now want to go harder and faster because of the lack of progress.”
He added: “It is inevitable that more strikes will be held and probably escalate.”
Rishi Sunak is contemplating measures that might permit employers to sue commerce unions and sack employees, in accordance with a report in The Times.
It’s claimed that this new legislation would apply to 6 sectors: the well being service, railways, training, fireplace companies, border safety and nuclear vitality.
Read extra: Union urges Rishi Sunak to ‘step as much as the plate’
The newspaper additionally suggests {that a} vital pay rise for public sector employees can be into account in an try to finish the commercial motion.
Yesterday, the prime minister insisted that his door is at all times open, including: “You’ll hear more from the government in the coming days about our approach.”
And whereas Mr Sunak mentioned individuals ought to have the suitable to strike, he warned: “That has to be balanced with the right of the British public to go about their lives without suffering undue disruption in the way we’ve seen recently.”
Source: information.sky.com”