• Train drivers at eight UK train companies have voted in favour of strike action.
• Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan warns there may be a walkout in the coming weeks.
• worries are that the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham will be disrupted.

According to their union, train drivers are “quite close” to going on strike and may do so in the coming weeks.

In a dispute over wages, drivers at eight train companies voted on Monday in favour of strike action.

Aslef’s general secretary, Mick Whelan, warned the BBC that if negotiations on pay increases fail, there may be a walkout in the upcoming weeks.

We take this seriously, he said. “When we do have to do it, we perceive it as a sign of failure.”

However, he emphasised that drivers had overwhelmingly chosen strikes in the union’s vote, giving the union a solid mandate from its members to engage in industrial action.

However, the Department of Transport (DfT) stated: “It is very regrettable that Aslef are first aiming to cause more suffering to passengers by joining others in disrupting the train network, rather than commit to real engagement with the sector.”

When strikes might start was not specified by Mr. Whelan. Unions must give notice of 14 days.

The announcement has sparked worries that the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, which are anticipated to draw roughly a million tourists between July 28 and August 8, will be disrupted.

Separately, on Monday, some 2,500 members of the TSSA (Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association) decided to participate in a walkout.

40,000 RMT union members who work for 13 railway companies and Network Rail went on strike for three days in June, disrupting rail services.

The RMT has picked up discussions over pay increases with Network Rail, which owns and runs the UK’s rail infrastructure, as well as the train operators. In a recent interview with the BBC, the RMT stated that it is “not in any rush” to call for additional strikes in July.

Mr. Whelan explained why Aslef members chose to take strike action, saying “Pure and simple, we haven’t had a pay raise in three years.” During the epidemic, train drivers worked, we moved food and medicine throughout the nation, we hired other important workers, and now that living expenses have increased and inflation is at an all-time high, many believe they are due a salary raise.

“We urge the union bosses to reconsider and cooperate with its employers, not against them, to agree on a new path ahead,” the DfT stated.

“Our railroad needs to be modernised desperately to improve passenger service and ensure its long-term financial viability,” it continued.

However, Mr. Whelan remarked, “If you want productivity, you have to pay for it.”

Also Read

 UK Ministry of Defense trained Ukrainians to drive modern armoured vehicles

A video of Ukrainian personnel being taught to drive various armoured vehicles...