Network Rail platform and ticketing staff join strike on 18 and 20 August
Platform and ticketing staff working at Network Rail have joined the wave of industrial action and announced they will strike on 18 and 20 August.
Members of the union TSSA working as general grades and controllers on the government-owned rail operator will join the walk out at seven other operators – including c2c, Avanti West Coast and LNER.
TSSA leaders said that workers were left “with little choice.”
“No one takes strike action lightly, but we have been left with little choice,” commented general secretary Manuel Cortes. “Sadly, it now looks as though we are about to see yet more disruption on our railways this summer.”
Commenting on the announcement, Network Rail’s lead negotiator Tim Shoveller said: “We are doing everything we can to avoid disruption for our passengers later this month, but it appears that our unions are coordinating their strike action to maximise impact on 18 and 20 August.
“We urge all our unions to work with us to agree a deal that is fair for their members – our employees – and affordable for taxpayers and passengers, and we think it’s only right that members have a say on the offers we’ve made.”
Aslef’s decision is the latest straw in what many call the UK’s “summer of discontent,” which threatens to bring the country to a standstill later this month.
The walkout will take place on the same days 40,000 members of the union RMT working at Network Rail and 14 other operators are also set to strike.
Tube and Overground workers will join too, on 19 August, while train drivers will take it to the streets on 13 August.