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Strikes have already caused significant disruption across Britain this summer, with unions representing various sectors locked in disputes with employers over pay and conditions.
The country experienced the largest rail strike in a generation last month when members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) walked out in protest against a pay offer that union leaders described as “paltry”.
Travel disruption is now set to continue over the coming weeks, with multiple strikes expected by rail, Tube and bus workers.
Other sectors have also planned industrial action, including 115,000 postal workers who are protesting against a pay rise that fails to keep up with soaring inflation.
Strikes will affect rail companies across the UK on the following dates:
- Saturday 13 August
- Thursday 18 August
- Saturday 20 August
On 13 August strike, train drivers represented by the union Aslef will walk out of nine train companies:
- Avanti West Coast
- CrossCountry
- Greater Anglia
- Great Western Railway
- Hull Trains
- LNER
- London Overground
- Southeastern
- West Midlands Trains
Many trains have been cancelled as a result of the action on 13 August, with London Euston and Birmingham New Street completely closed to trains on this date.
Aslef’s general secretary, Mick Whelan, said the strikes were a “last resort”. He said many of the union’s members had not had a pay rise since 2019, with inflation now “running north” of 10 per cent.
The strikes on 18 and 20 of August will include 40,000 RMT workers, alongside members of the Transport and Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) and Unite.
The train companies involved include:
- Chiltern Railways
- CrossCountry
- Greater Anglia
- LNER
- East Midlands Railway
- c2c
- Great Western Railway
- Northern Trains
- Southeastern
- South Western Railway
- TransPennine Express
- Avanti West Coast
- West Midlands Trains
- GTR (including Gatwick Express)
- London Overground
- Great Western Railway
- Hull Trains
- London Northwestern Railway
Network Rail said the rail industry “is currently working on implementing its contingency plans to minimise customer disruption as much as possible”. Anyone who has booked an Advance, Off-Peak or Anytime ticket on a journey that has been affected by the strikes will be eligible for a change or refund.
RMT members working on the London Underground and Overground will stage a 24-hour-walkout on Friday 19 August.
Transport for London has said it will update its website closer to the time of the strikes and has warned Londoners to check their journey before they travel on this date.
About 10,000 Tube workers and 400 Overground workers are expected to walk out, causing major disruption for commuters.
When are the London bus strikes?
Bus drivers based in west London, who are members of the Unite union, are set to stage a walk-out on Friday 19 August and Saturday 20 August.
The first day of the strike will coincide with the London Underground strike, which will grind public transport to a halt in some parts of the capital.
The strike will affect bus routes going through Fulwell, Hounslow, Hounslow Heath, Park Royal, Shepherd’s Bush, Stamford Brook, and Tolworth.
Unite is also balloting bus drivers employed by Arriva in north London over potential strike action.
Around 115,000 Royal Mail workers are set to strike over pay on four days across August and September.
The dates are:
- Friday 26 August
- Wednesday 31 August
- Thursday 8 September
- Friday 9 September
The Communication Workers Union (CWU), which represents postal workers, said the union rejected a pay rise offer of “up to 5.5 per cent”, which is below the rate of inflation.
The strikes may lead to weeks-long delays in the postal service, but contingency plans are being put in place to ensure the delivery of certain essential items such as medicine to pharmacies.
Ryanair cabin crew in Spain held a number of strikes throughout July.
Workers employed by the airline are now planning to walk out every Monday and Tuesday for five months, starting on 8 August and ending on 7 January 2023.
The two unions representing the Spanish workers said they were demanding a “change of attitude from the airline”, with reports that some cabin crew are being paid as little as €300 per month.
The strikes come as the CEO of Ryanair warns that disruptions to air travel could last until next summer, largely due to air traffic control delays.
You can use Ryanair’s flight tracker to check on the status of upcoming services.
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