UPDATE: The strike has been called off due to talks over new pay for workers.
The dates and times that the strikes will occur on:
· Thursday 4th June: 24 hours from 17:00 until 16:59 on Friday 5th June
· Tuesday 9th June: 48 hours from 17:00 until 16:59 on Thursday 11th June
· Saturday 6th June from 00:01 until 23:59 on Friday 12th June. RMT members will not work any overtime
RMT union have issued the following press release:
INDUSTRIAL ACTION CALLED!
RATES OF PAY AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE 2015 – NETWORK RAIL
A meeting was held today with your Area Council reps and the union’s Executive to discuss the latest pay proposals from Network Rail. The clear view of the meeting was that the new offer was unacceptable and therefore the General Grades Committee has called Network Rail members to take strike action as follows:-
Members are instructed Not to Book on for Duty for any shifts that Start between:-
17.00 hours on Thursday 4th June 2015 and 16.59 hours Friday 5th June 2015
and 17.00 hours on Tuesday 9th June 2015 and 16.59 hours Thursday 11th June 2015
17.00 hours on Thursday 4th June 2015 and 16.59 hours Friday 5th June 2015
and 17.00 hours on Tuesday 9th June 2015 and 16.59 hours Thursday 11th June 2015
In addition members are instructed not to work any overtime, additional hours, extended shifts nor carry out any callouts between:
00.01 hours on Saturday 6th June 2015 and 23.59 Friday 12th June 2015.
There are no exceptions to this instruction, all Network Rail members (excluding Band 1 to 4 staff and Managers who have not been balloted) are instructed to take this action.
Detailed information on how this action will affect members in the form of a Frequently asked Questions Document will be circulated very shortly. As regards picket lines, detailed guidance has already been circulated and will be coordinated by your Branches and Regional Offices.
The solidarity and determination of members in the dispute has been incredible and I urge you to keep this up and stand shoulder to shoulder with your colleagues on the days of action. It is abundantly clear from the views of your reps at the meeting that Network Rail’s offer simply isn’t good enough and we demand nothing less than a substantial improvement.
Network Rail have reported the following on their website:
Thursday 28 May
Once again the RMT leadership have failed to get their members to accept a pay offer from Network Rail that they had agreed to in discussions with ACAS.
Mark Carne, chief executive said:
“Our people know that there are ways to improve the way work is done. I have always said that if we work together to realise these benefits there is the possibility to increase pay. We are therefore ready to get around the table with whoever the RMT consider can speak on behalf of their members. It is clearly unacceptable for the RMT to massively disrupt the travelling public with strike action when we are ready to continue talks.”
We will now restart contingency planning with the train companies, but if a national rail strike does go ahead, rail services will be severely affected.
Update Friday 29 May
Network Rail and the RMT are meeting today, with ACAS, to seek to resolve the current dispute and avert strike action.
You can also see that Network Rail have released their FAQ's about the proposed industrial action which also includes questions and answers about their pay and bonuses for executive staff.
National Rail (A service for Train Operating Companies) have reported the following on their disruptions page:
Proposed industrial action on Thursday 4 June until Friday 5 June and on Tuesday 9 June until Thursday 11 June
Train Operating Companies affected
Abellio Greater Anglia; Arriva Trains Wales; c2c; Caledonian Sleeper; Chiltern Railways; CrossCountry; East Midlands Trains; Eurostar; First Great Western; First Hull Trains; First TransPennine Express; Gatwick Express; Grand Central; Great Northern; Heathrow Connect; Heathrow Express; Island Line; London Midland; London Overground; London Underground; Merseyrail; Northern Rail; ScotRail; South West Trains; Southeastern; Southern; Stansted Express; TfL Rail; Thameslink; Virgin Trains; Virgin Trains East Coast;
The RMT Union, which represent track and infrastructure operator Network Rail, have announced that they are planning the following industrial action:
24 hour strike action from 17:00 on Thursday 4 June until 16:59 Friday 5 June
An overtime ban from 00:01 Saturday 6 June until 23:59 Friday 12 June
48 hour strike action from 17:00 on Tuesday 9 June until 16:59 Thursday 11 June
Talks at ACAS between RMT and Network Rail are ongoing, but should this industrial action go ahead there is likely to be significant disruption to rail services from Thursday 4 June until Friday 12 June. Train services that do operate are likely to be extremely busy.
Network Rail and train companies are currently planning which train services will be able to run. Finalised timetables for the first period of strike action will be made available as soon as possible, but this is unlikely to be before Wednesday 3 June. More general information about services planned will become available over the weekend. Detailed information about services during the overtime ban and subsequent 48 hour strike will also be made available as soon as possible.
We appreciate that many customers may have their travel plans disrupted by the planned industrial action. Train companies are currently in discussions on special ticketing arrangement to make it as easy as possible for you to complete your journey or get a refund if you decide not to travel, should the industrial action go ahead.
Some train companies are likely to be putting in place additional local ticketing arrangements, so you may wish to check with the train company you’ll be using before travelling.
If you already have a ticket valid for travel on any of the days potentially affected by the planned industrial action and no longer able to travel, the retailer that sold you your ticket will provide you with a full refund. Alternatively you can exchange it for another ticket (once you’ve paid any difference in price). If you want to obtain a refund or exchange your ticket please ask the retailer from whom you purchased your ticket.
If you have a Season Ticket you will be entitled to compensation. As these arrangements vary by train company, please check with your train company on the compensation you will be entitled to.
To get the latest travel and other information, go to www.nationalrail.co.uk/industrialaction , download the NRE app, follow us on Twitter @nationalrailenq or speak to your train operator.
You can also follow the latest information using the hashtag #IndustrialAction
Transport for London (TFL) have reported the following on their website:
Members of the RMT Union that work for Network Rail have announced that they are planning to take industrial action on the following days:
Thursday 4 June: 24 hours from 17:00 until 16:59 on Friday 5 June
Tuesday 9 June: 48 hours from 17:00 until 16:59 on Thursday 11 June
Saturday 6 June from 00:01 until 23:59 on Friday 12 June RMT members will not work any overtime
Neither Transport for London nor London Underground staff will strike and so the vast majority of our services will run as normal. However, some of our services rely on Network Rail signals and power supply so they will be affected and we are now working closely with our industry partners to assess the likely impact.
Network Rail will now restart its contingency planning with the train operators, but if a national rail strike goes ahead, rail services will be severely affected: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/99244.aspx
I have produced this article to show the reader all sides of the situation.
Some of the London Underground services that use Network Rail's infrastructure will be disrupted due to the strike action; examples of this include Richmond to Gunnersbury which is served by the District Line and from Queens Park to Harrow & Wealdstone is served by the Bakerloo Line.
Strikes to the railway infrastructure are the root cause of railway services as a whole, being disrupted. So commuters may need to take a coach or use a railway replacement service to get to their destination.
Also see: