Thousands more rail workers will vote on whether to go on strike this summer that threatens travel chaos.
The Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) plans to elect more than 6,000 employees at Network Rail (NR).
It’s part of a dispute over pay, conditions and job security. Other rail unions will go on strike next week in the biggest strike in three decades.
A Department of Transport spokesman said strikes should be the last resort and urged TSSA to reconsider.
Network Rail said: “Now is not the time for the TSSA to jump on the RMT strike train.”
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union at NR and 13 train operators will go on strike for three days from June 21.
The RMT and Unite are also holding a one-day strike on the London Underground on the same day as the first rail strike, in a separate series on jobs and pay.
Train strikes, canceled flights and record-breaking gas prices have thrown the escape plans in jeopardy and threaten a summer of travel misery.
The TSSA has previously announced strike votes among its members at four railway companies – Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, East Midlands and West Midlands Trains.
Meanwhile, members of Drivers’ Union Aslef are also on strike at Hull Trains, Greater Anglia and Croydon Tramlink later this month.
- A summer of misery ahead for British travelers?
- Railroad workers go on strike for three days in June
- When is the rail strike and which lines are affected?
TSSA members at NR work in operational, control, administrative and safety critical roles on rail services across the UK.
You will be asked to cast two votes – one on strike action and another on action just before a strike. The election begins on June 20th and ends on July 11th.
In the event of a yes vote, a strike could start on July 25th.
The TSSA is calling for a 2022 no-redundancy guarantee, no inconsistent changes in working conditions, and a pay rise that reflects the rising cost of living.
It says NR staff last got a raise two to three years ago, though it varies between classes, and have also worked as key workers during the coronavirus pandemic.
TSSA Secretary General Manuel Cortes said: “We could see a summer of dissatisfaction on our railroads if Network Rail sees no point in coming to the table to address the concerns of their employees.”
He added: “It is frankly ridiculous that we are being forced to vote. Network Rail only responded to our requests for salary talks – which were made before Christmas – when we put the issue off to argument in April and pulled their heels at every stage.”
A Network Rail spokesperson said: “Positive salary talks have been in full swing, with a non-binding salary offer of 2.5% on the table, with the potential for more if coupled with productivity and efficiency gains, so this news is premature and deeply disappointing.”
A spokesman for the Department of Transport said it was “extremely disappointing and premature that the TSSA is voting for industrial action when talks have only just begun”.
He added: “For millions of people, train travel is now a choice, not a necessity. Strikes keep our customers from choosing rail and they may never return.
“We urge TSSA to reconsider and come to industry talks so we can find a solution that is fair to workers, passengers and taxpayers alike.”
Add Comment