Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Birmingham Post
Birmingham Post
Business
Jon Robinson

FA Cup final day to be hit by fresh strikes as train drivers prepare to walk out in long-running pay dispute

The FA Cup final between Manchester United and Manchester City could be impacted by fresh strikes by train drivers.

Members of Aslef are set to walk out on June 3 as well as May 12 and May 31 in a long-running dispute over pay.

The union said it has rejected a "risible" 4% pay offer from the 16 train companies it remains in dispute with.

READ MORE: Click here to sign up to the BusinessLive North West newsletter

General secretary Mick Whelan said drivers have not had a pay rise at those companies since 2019.

He said: "Our executive committee met this morning and rejected a risible proposal we received from the Rail Delivery Group (RDG).

"The proposal – of just 4% – was clearly not designed to be accepted as inflation is still running north of 10% and our members at these companies have not had an increase for four years.

"The RDG, in turn, rejected our proposals to modernise Britain’s railways and help them run more efficiently, for passengers and for businesses, in the 21st century.

"Consequently, we have today announced three more days of strike action on Friday May 12, Wednesday May 31 and Saturday June 3 at the companies with which we are in dispute, and which are letting down passengers, and taxpayers, so badly.

"We are also withdrawing non-contractual overtime from Monday May 15 to Saturday 20 inclusive, as well as on Saturday May 13 and Thursday June 1."

The train operating companies involved in the dispute are: Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Great Western Railway, Greater Anglia, GTR Great Northern Thameslink, London North Eastern Railway, Northern Trains, Southeastern, Southern/Gatwick Express, South Western Railway, SWR depot drivers, SWR Island Line, TransPennine Express and West Midlands Trains.

The May 12 strike will be held the day before the Eurovision final in Liverpool.

A Rail Delivery Group spokesperson said: "This is disappointing news for our customers and staff, more strike action is totally unnecessary and will only heap more pressure on an industry already facing an acute financial crisis.

"Senselessly targeting both the final of Eurovision and the FA Cup final is disappointing for all those planning to attend."

READ MORE:

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.