RAIL workers at two train companies have voted in favour of strike action over a continued dispute over pay.
Members of the drivers’ union Aslef at Great Western Railway (GWR) and Southeastern Railway backed industrial action, threatening to cause further rail disruption for passengers and commuters across Sussex.
GWR trains serve several stations in the western half of Sussex, with Southeastern services operating from Hastings.
The outcome could lead to walkouts over the summer, following strikes by the RMT union last month which crippled rail services across the country.
Aslef members at six other companies also voted for strike action; namely Chiltern, LNER, Northern, TransPennine, West Midlands and the London Overground.
No strike dates have yet been announced.
The Transport Salaried Staffs Association is also balloting members at Network Rail and a number of train operators in England on the possibility of a walk-out.
Mike Whelan, general secretary of Aslef, said that strike action is “always the last resort” but that many members have not received a pay rise in three years.
He said: “The train companies are doing very well out of Britain’s railways - with handsome profits, dividends for shareholders, and big salaries for managers - and train drivers are not going to work longer for less.
“We’re not asking for a pay rise. We’re asking for our pay not to be cut for a third year in a row.
“We’ve accepted real-terms pay cuts for two or three years now, but whilst huge sums of money continue to slosh around our industry, we won’t accept another cut for another year.
“Our members were proud to get fellow key workers and essential goods around the country during the pandemic. We’re proud to continue to serve passengers as they come back to our railways, but our hard-working rail workers will not accept real-terms pay cuts year after year.
“We’re happy to talk to anyone who can resolve this situation, but the government is restricting what the operators can offer and then refusing to get involved in negotiation. They have no interest in finding a resolution.”
GWR and Southeastern Railway have been contacted for comment.
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