MORE rail strikes are planned and set to cause commuter chaos as train drivers from three firms have said they will too walk out over pay.
The companies add to the ever-growing list of members who have voted to take strike action in disputes over wages.
Members of Aslef at Chiltern, Northern and TransPennine Express have now backed walkouts in the long-running row affecting the industry.
The news of more industrial action comes just one week after the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) workers strikes, which caused misery for commuters across London.
There were severe traffic jams as commuters jumped in their cars, and huge crowds could be seen lining the roadside, queuing for buses.
Today, the companies’ votes were all more than 9-1 in favour of strikes, with turnouts of over 80 per cent.
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Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef, said strikes were always the last resort, adding: “You can see from the votes – and the turnouts – just how angry our members are.
“With inflation running at north of 10 per cent – and set to go much higher – several train companies are saying that they want their drivers to take a real-terms pay cut. Their attitude is ‘suck it up’ – and that stinks.
“We now have mandates at 12 companies.
“After our one-day strike on August 13, the Rail Delivery Group, the pressure group which represents the interests of the privatised train operating companies, asked for talks. Those talks were strained, but quite constructive.
“There were no concrete proposals but dialogue will, we hope, continue.
“That’s why we are calling on the companies to come to the table with a proper proposal to help our members, their drivers, buy this year what they could buy last year.
“That is the way to prevent another strike and all the disruption that causes. The ball is now firmly in the train companies’ court.”
