Union breakthroughs mean UK’s rail strikes could be near an end

The UK could be reaching the end of two years of strike action on its railways as the ASLEF train drivers union settles a dispute with rail operator LNER and nears a vote on a new pay offer. 

The union had been set to begin industrial action against LNER for every weekend through to November over alleged “broken agreements” from the state-controlled operator but said it had now called off the action after reaching a resolution.

Mick Whelan, general secretary of ASLEF, said: “Once again we have demonstrated that by sitting round the table and negotiating, issues on the railway can be resolved in a way that means better workplace practices for rail workers and a better service for the travelling public.”

The short-lived dispute with LNER had threatened to extend the union’s strike action yet again despite the impending vote on a pay offer agreed on between ASLEF and rail operators earlier in August, separately to the most recent LNER issues. 

The 4.5% pay rise for the 2024/2025 season would also include a backdated 5% pay rise for 2022/2023 and a 4.75% rise for 2023/2024 and has been recommended by the union to its 23,000 strong membership in a breakthrough for the industrial relations in the sector. 

Disputes between the country’s rail operators, represented by the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) and its two primary rail unions, ASLEF and the RMT union, began in 2022 when negotiations between the organisations first fell through.