Rail unions

Rail, Maritime and Tranposrt Union (RMT); Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF); Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA)

Diary of a Tube worker: The loudmouths and the rattled

The weeks leading up to a strike, like our Tube strike on 21 June, tend to bring out the most sceptical voices the loudest. There is a general consensus in my depot that you strike, you don’t scab, and whatever misgivings you have are not aired in loud debate in the mess room. Those that speak up tend to be the minority, those that want to justify coming in, often raising old grievances against this or that union stance or some often long forgotten rep. “I don’t give a fuck about…” O starts all his sentences like this when he’s making a point, usually about why he’s no time for a strike. “It...

Dispute could be central at RMT AGM

The National Union of Rail, Maritime, and Transport workers (RMT) will hold its Annual General Meeting on 3-8 July in Birmingham. RMT’s AGM is proportionally smaller than most union conferences, but in some ways relatively more open and democratic: debates on motions continue until everyone who wants to speak has done. As well as debating resolutions from branches and other union committees, the AGM often has to make decisions on industrial disputes. If an offer from an employer is received during an AGM, it is up to AGM delegates to debate and decide on whether that offer is accepted...

Strike shows rail workers have power

From Off the Rails Barely a train ran on 21 June, as up to fifty thousand railworkers struck to defend our jobs and conditions. London Underground workers also struck against attacks on jobs, agreements and pensions, while up and down the country, probably thousands of people joined picket lines to enforce the strike for a decent pay rise and against attacks on jobs and conditions. Pickets report getting strong support from passers-by and visitors from other unions, campaigns and political groups. Bosses and government ministers are sounding increasingly downbeat and/or desperate in the media...

Support the rail strikes

Forty thousand rail workers in the rail union RMT will strike on 21, 23 and 25 June against the national pay freeze, compulsory redundancies, and change to terms and conditions. London Underground workers will also strike on 21 June against job cuts, attacks on pensions, and the threat of changes to terms and conditions. This will be the largest national rail strike since 1996 and the first to include London Underground workers since 1989. Aslef, the biggest train drivers’ union, has called some strike action in Train Operating Companies (TOCs) during and after 21-25 June. Unite, which has...

TSSA members: vote yes for action!

TSSA has announced ballots of its members at several TOCs and Network Rail for industrial action over pay, conditions, and job security, opening up the possibility of further coordinated action between rail unions later in the summer.

870 TSSA members across Avanti West Coast, East Midlands Railway...

Striking against fire and rehire at Wabtec

RMT and Unite members at Wabtec's plant in Hexthorpe, near Doncaster, struck from 10-13 June, after bosses used fire-and-rehire tactics to force workers onto worse conditions.

The new contracts, imposed under threat of dismissal, included cuts to break times and increases to hours with no...

Don't settle for pay cuts!

A train driver on a mainline TOC reports from their depot.


The upcoming strikes are the hottest topic of conversation inside and outside the messroom at my depot. Why so many days at the start? Why are ASLEF dragging their feet? Do I have to cross the picket line?

In my experience at the start of...

An open letter to fellow Aslef drivers: which side are we on?

I'm writing to my fellow ASLEF members around the country to persuade you not to cross the RMT's picket lines in the upcoming strikes over pay, jobs and conditions.

At many TOCs and open access operators, we have been or are in the process of being balloted over pay, one of the three key issues in...

As Labour MPs back rail action, fight to make Labour the party of strikes!

In the period since RMT announced strikes in the dispute with Network Rail and mainline TOCs, a number of Labour MPs have made statements, of varying degrees of strength, in support of those strikes.

MPs on the left of the party, such as John McDonnell, Richard Burgon, Nadia Whittome, Rebecca Long...

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