Families with day trips planned are probably wondering when the next train strike will be. Here's what we know...
The UK's railways have been intermittently disrupted by train strikes for well over a year now, as train drivers and rail workers stage walkouts and overtime bans in a protest around poor pay and working conditions. The result has been widespread travel chaos, with family holidays disrupted and many parents who were hoping to treat their kids to some time away forced to refund their tickets.
While the dispute around working conditions for rail staff appears to have been resolved - with members of the Rail Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) voting to accept a pay deal back in November - a separate dispute involving the union Aslef around how much train drivers earn is still ongoing. Here's everything we know about when the next train strikes could be...
When is the next train strike?
The next round of train strikes are due to take place between Monday 15 and Saturday 20 April. The industrial action by ASLEF will be action "short of a strike" and affect services run by Northern, while LNER services will also be affected on the Saturday.
ASLEF members working for LNER will also refuse to work non-contractual overtime from Friday 19 to Sunday 21 April. This is an "entirely separate dispute", and has been called by the union "because of the company's failure to adhere to the agreed bargaining machinery", ASLEF said.
Meanwhile, the dispute that saw industrial action take place earlier in April is yet to be resolved.
Mick Whelan, ASLEF general secretary, has said of the rail strikes: "Last month, when we announced renewed mandates for industrial action, because under the Tories' draconian anti-union laws we have to ballot our members every six months, we called on the train companies, and the government, to come to the table for meaningful talks to negotiate a new pay deal for train drivers who have not had an increase in salary since 2019.
"Our members voted overwhelmingly - yet again - for strike action."
Meanwhile, a Rail Delivery Group spokesperson said: "Nobody wins when industrial action impacts people's lives and livelihoods, and we will work hard to minimise any disruption to our passengers.
"We want to resolve this dispute, but the ASLEF leadership need to recognise that hard-pressed taxpayers are continuing to contribute an extra £54m a week just to keep services running post-COVID.
"We continue to seek an agreement with the ASLEF leadership and remain open to talks to find a solution to this dispute."
Which rail companies will be striking?
- Northern (15-20 April)
- LNER (20 April)
Will the tubes be on strike in April?
No, there are currently no strikes scheduled to take place on the London Underground. Two days of industrial action on the tube scheduled for April and May have been called off.
However, it is possible that more tube strikes will take place in the future. Finn Brennan, ASLEF's full-time organiser on the London Underground, previously said in a statement: "Despite a previous commitment to withdraw plans for massive changes to drivers' working conditions, London Underground management has established a full-time team of managers preparing to impose their plans.
"They want drivers to work longer shifts, spending up to 25% more time in the cab, and to remove all current working agreements in the name of 'flexibility and efficiency'."
Meanwhile, Transport for London (TfL) said in a statement: "We have been in long-term discussions with our trade union colleagues on how to modernise procedures and processes on London Underground to improve the experience both for staff and customers.
"We have no plans to impose these changes and have committed to no one losing their job as part of these changes, and we have engaged with our unions to demonstrate that no change will be made that compromises our steadfast commitment to safety on the Tube network.
"We urge ASLEF to continue discussions with us so that disruption for Londoners can be averted."
With the cost of living crisis affecting workers across the UK, you might want to check out the latest on the teacher strikes and the Royal Mail strikes too.
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