Thousands extra railway staff will vote on strike motion in rising disputes over pay and jobs which might result in much more journey chaos this summer time.
The Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) will poll greater than 6,000 of its members at Network Rail from 20 June to 11 July.
It comes after members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union at Network Rail and 13 practice operators agreed to go on strike on 21, 23 and 25 June in comparable disputes.
The RMT and Unite are additionally participating in industrial motion which can have an effect on the London Underground on 21 June.
The TSSA beforehand introduced strike ballots amongst its members at 4 rail corporations – Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, East Midlands and West Midlands Trains.
Members of Aslef, the drivers union, are putting later this month at Hull Trains, Greater Anglia and Croydon Tramlink.
TSSA members at Network Rail work in operational, management, administration and safety-critical roles on rail companies throughout the UK.
The union is asking for a assure of no obligatory redundancies this 12 months, no unagreed adjustments to phrases and circumstances and a pay improve that displays the rising value of dwelling.
Staff haven’t had a wage rise for the final two to 3 years, the TSSA mentioned.
If they vote for a strike, it might be held from 25 July.
‘Summer of discontent’
TSSA basic secretary Manuel Cortes mentioned: “We could be seeing a summer of discontent across our railways if Network Rail don’t see sense and come to the table to face the concerns of their staff.
“Network Rail workers are asking for fundamental truthful therapy – to not be sacked from their jobs, a good pay rise within the face of a cost-of-living disaster and no race to the underside on phrases and circumstances.
“Fat cat bosses have so far refused these completely reasonable requests, leaving us with no option other than to ballot for industrial action, something which is always a last resort.”
He mentioned Network Rail have “dragged their heels” at each stage of pay talks, which started in April.
More talks shall be held on Thursday in a bid to agree a deal.
Listen and subscribe to The Ian King Business Podcast right here.
A Network Rail spokesman mentioned: “Now is not the time for the TSSA to be jumping on the RMT ‘strike bandwagon’.
“Positive pay talks had been in full swing with a ‘no-strings’ pay supply of two.5% on the desk, with the potential for extra if related to productiveness and effectivity positive factors, so this information is each untimely and deeply disappointing.”
A Department for Transport spokesman said the ballot was “disappointing and untimely”, adding: “Taxpayers throughout the nation contributed £16bn, or £600 per family, to maintain our railways working all through the pandemic.
“The railway is still on financial life support, with passenger numbers 25% down and anything that drives away even more of them puts services and jobs at risk.”
httpspercent3Apercent2Fpercent2Fnews.sky.compercent2Fstorypercent2Ffresh-travel-chaos-fears-as-thousands-more-rail-workers-set-to-vote-on-strike-action-12633859
