Are there Birmingham & West Midlands train strikes in July? Dates of next RMT walkouts

The RMT union has announced a fresh round of strike action to coincide with the start of the English school holidays.

More than 20,000 rail workers across England will walk out for three days in late July in the union’s ongoing dispute with train operators over pay and conditions. The union said it had been left with no choice after employers failed to bring any new offer to the table.

The three days of action in July will mark more than a year since the transport workers’ union began striking and comes after members voted overwhelming in favour of extending its mandate for strike action by another six months.

The annoucement comes just hours after train drivers’ union Aslef called off a planned 24-hour walkout at Avanti West Coast and a little over a week before train drivers begin an overtime ban across 16 operators.

When are West Midlands train strikes?

Members of the RMT trade union have announced they will take part in strike action on Thursday 20 July, Saturday 22 July and Saturday 29 July. West Midlands Railway will be running a reduced timetable on these dates and some routes will not be served.

Separately, members of the ASLEF trade union, representing train drivers, have announced industrial action in the form of an overtime ban from Monday 3 July to Saturday 8 July inclusive. During this period West Midlands Railway will continue to operate to our full advertised timetable. A small number of services may be subject to late-notice cancellation or amendment during this period and passengers are advised to check their journeys before travelling.

What has RMT said about strikes?

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said that the union had been left with no choice but to take action and blamed employers and the government for the lack of progres. He said: “This latest phase of action will show the country just how important railway staff are to the running of the rail industry.

“My team of negotiators and I are available 24/7 for talks with the train operating companies and government ministers. Yet quite incredibly neither party has made any attempt whatsoever to arrange any meetings or put forward a decent offer that can help us reach a negotiated solution.

“The government continues to shackle the companies and will not allow them to put forward a package that can settle this dispute.

“Our members have now voted 3 times to take strike action over the last 12 months - the most of recent of which coincided with having the full details of the substandard offer from the rail operators. They voted by 9-1 to renew their strike mandate and RMT will continue its industrial campaign until we reach a negotiated settlement on pay, working conditions and job security.”

A DfT spokesperson said: “The government has played its part to try and end this dispute, enabling a generous pay offer that would see train drivers’ already high salaries increase from an average of £60,000.

“Whilst Aslef members have been able to vote on extending the strikes, union leaders have repeatedly denied them a chance to vote on the very fair pay offer that would end these strikes. We urge them to do the right thing and give members a say on that pay offer.”