The
train
drivers’
union
ASLEF
has
called
another
24-hour
strike
at
12
train
operating
companies
on
26
November. 

ASLEF
general
secretary
Mick
Whelan
said:
’We
regret
that
passengers
will
be
inconvenienced
for
another
day.
We
don’t
want
to
be
taking
this
action.
Withdrawing
our
labour
is
always
a
last
resort
for
a
trade
union.

’We
have
come
to
the
table,
as
we
always
will,
in
good
faith
but
while
the
industry
continues
to
make
no
offer
–
due
to
the
dodgy
deal
they
signed
with
the
DfT
–
we
have
no
choice
but
to
take
strike
action
again.

‘They
want
drivers
to
take
a
real
terms
pay
cut.
With
inflation
now
well
into
double
figures,
train
drivers
who
kept
Britain
moving
through
the
pandemic
are
now
being
expected
to
work
just
as
hard
this
year
as
last
year
but
for
less.’

The
Rail
Delivery
Group
responded:
‘We
are
incredibly
frustrated.
We
regret
Aslef’s
decision,
which
will
cause
real
disruption
to
passengers
and
hit
its
members’
pay
packets.
Instead
of
staging
more
counterproductive
strike
action
which
increases
the
very
real
financial
challenge
the
industry
is
facing,
we
ask
them
to
work
with
us
to
secure
both
a
pay
deal
and
the
changes
needed
it
for
it
to
thrive
in
the
long-term
and
improve
reliability
across
the
network.’

Meanwhile,
ASLEF
members
at
LNER
will
be
refusing
to
work
any
overtime
which
is
not
part
of
a
contract
from
27
November,
in
a
dispute
over
the
way
overtime
is
arranged.

However,
ScotRail
has
reached
agreement
with
the
RMT
that
its
pay
offer
will
be
put
to
the
union’s
members
through
a
referendum.
The
RMT’s
overtime
ban
and
any
proposed
strikes
will
be
suspended
until
the
outcome
of
the
vote
is
known.

There
would
be
an
average
pay
increase
of
7.5
per
cent
for
general
grades,
which
include
conductors,
ticket
examiners
and
station
staff.
Salaries
for
lower
paid
staff
would
increase
by
more
than
8.5
per
cent.