Welsh runners hoping to take part in this year's London Marathon are set to be faced with disruption after it was announced a major rail strike is set to go ahead the day before it takes place. Rail union TSSA has confirmed new dates for industrial action in a continuation of the ongoing dispute over pay, job security, and conditions.
The action will see thousands of TSSA members in Network Rail and 11 train operating companies take striking action and action short of strike on Saturday, October 1. Thousands of people are set to take part in the 2022 London Marathon the following day after a change in date from the usual April because of the coronavirus pandemic.
TSSA has also announced that individual companies will be taking strike action on October 5, 6, and 8. Members involved in the action include staff working in ticket offices, stations, control rooms, and other support roles across the UK. The announcement comes after TSSA cancelled strike dates scheduled for September following the death of Queen Elizabeth. The new strike date will be the third day of nationwide multi-operator strike action this year by TSSA members.
Strike action on 1 October is being taken for the first time by members in train operators West Midlands Trains, Transpennine Express, and South Western Railway following successful ballots. Companies in Wales are not involved in the strike action but services will be affected because of the action being taken in other parts of the country.
TSSA says it is is seeking a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies, a pay rise which meets the cost of living crisis, and no unagreed changes to terms and conditions. TSSA general secretary Manuel Cortes said: “We do not take this action lightly. We would much rather find a fair negotiated solution to this now long-running dispute but we simply have no choice. A huge number of rail workers in our union, many of whom are longstanding members, had never been directly involved in an industrial dispute before this year.
"Across our railways our members recently stepped up to the plate yet again and went above and beyond to meet unprecedented demand during the period of public mourning to provide additional services and keep the public safe, much like they did during the pandemic. They prove their worth time and time again and yet they are still undervalued. We can only hope the new secretary of state for transport can see sense where her predecessor could not. She has the power to mandate a fair pay rise, reasonable terms and conditions, and end this dispute. It is time for train operators to meet us round the table and reach fair solutions.” The half-marathon is set to take place in Cardiff on the same day as the London race.
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