UK train drivers announce fresh walkouts in January, February

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - Train drivers in England will go on strike in January and February due to a long-running dispute over pay, their union announced Monday.

The drivers, who are members of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF) union, will go on strike from Jan. 30 to Feb. 5 over pay dispute with 14 train operators.

Thousands of passengers are likely to be affected as the drivers will stop working region-by-region during the period of strike action.

The ASLEF members will also refuse to work overtime from Jan. 29 to Feb. 6.

In a statement, Mick Whelan, the union's general secretary, said: "We have given the government every opportunity to come to the table but it has now been a year since we had any contact from the Department for Transport. It's clear they do not want to resolve this dispute.”

"Many of our members have now not had a single penny increase to their pay in half a decade, during which inflation soared and with it the cost of living," Whelan added.

According to him, train drivers didn't even ask for an increase during the COVID-19 pandemic "when they worked throughout as keyworkers, risking their lives to allow NHS and other workers to travel."

"There's no excuse. The government and train operating companies must come to the table with a realistic offer so we can end this dispute and work together to ensure the future of our railways," Whelan said.