Members of the Aslef union will walk out on Saturday 26 November, causing further disruption for passengers after months of walkouts by various groups. The 12 companies involved are Avanti West Coast. Chiltern Railways; Crosscountry; East Midlands Railway; Great Western Railway; Greater Anglia; London North Eastern Railway; London Underground? Northern Trains? Southeastern; Transpennine Express and West Midlands trains. The rail network has been crippled by strikes as workers fight for inflation-busting pay rises amid a cost-of-living crisis. Strikes on November 5, 7 and 9 were called off, but in too short a time to restore services, leaving Bonfire Night travelers stranded. Today, members of Unite and the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union walked out over jobs and pensions. It means there are no services on large parts of the London Underground. Only the Central, Northern, District, Elizabeth, Overground and DLR lines are running, but with reduced services. Big-profit rail companies to make ‘proper pay offer’ Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan said of the latest industrial action: “We do not want to take this action. “We have come to the table, as we always will, in good faith, but while the industry continues to make no offer – because of the unpleasant deal they signed with the Department for Transport – we have no choice but to go on strike again. “They want the drivers to take a real pay cut. “With inflation now in double digits, the train drivers who kept Britain afloat during the pandemic are now expected to work just as hard this year as last year, but for less. Most of these drivers have not had a pay raise since 2019. “We want companies – who are making huge profits – to make a proper pay offer so our members can keep up with the cost of living.”
