Over 40,000 rail workers to take to picket line as further date of strike action announced

More than 40,000 rail staff will take to the picket line on October 8 after another date of industrial action was announced.

Rail union RMT confirmed today that railway workers will walkout across in the ongoing fight over jobs, pay and working conditions.

Over 40,000 RMT members from Network Rail and 15 train operating companies will take to picket lines, effectively shutting down the railway network.

Strike action will take place at Network Rail and 15 train operating companies:

• Chiltern Railways,
• Cross Country Trains,
• Greater Anglia,
• LNER,
• East Midlands Railway,
• c2c,
• Great Western Railway,
• Hull Trains
• Northern Trains,
• South Eastern
• South Western Railway
• Transpennine Express,
• Avanti West Coast,
• West Midlands Trains
• GTR (including Gatwick Express)

Industrial action by RMT union members is already scheduled to take place for 24 hours October 1.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said that it was encouraging that the new Transport Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP had met with the union.

He said: “We welcome this more positive approach from the government to engage with us as a first step to finding a suitable settlement.

“However, as no new offer has been tabled, our members have no choice but to continue this strike action

“We will continue to negotiate in good faith, but the employers and government need to understand our industrial campaign will continue for as long as it takes.”

ASLEF has also announced its train drivers will walk out for two further days of strike action – Saturday 1 and Wednesday 5 October.

Union members at 12 companies – Avanti West Coast; Chiltern Railways; CrossCountry; Greater Anglia; Great Western Railway; Hull Trains; LNER; London Overground; Northern Trains; Southeastern; TransPennine Express; and West Midlands Trains – will strike across the two days.