West Midlands train drivers strike set to disrupt Commonwealth Games

West Midlands Trains drivers will strike over pay with action potentially starting three days before the Commonwealth Games, it has been announced.

90% of ASLEF – the train drivers union – members voted in favour of strike action – that is 636 members. A source said that they fully intended to disrupt the Games, which get underway later this month on July 28.

Members are striking over pay as they have not received a pay rise since 2019; the average salary of a WMT driver is £57,044 a year. In the year March 2020-2021, West Midlands Trains (WMT) made £123.9 million in profit after tax and the company which owns WMT, called Abellio, paid its highest paid director £597,000 in the year ending December 2020.

Train drivers at the following companies have voted to strike: Arriva Rail London, Chiltern Railways, Great Western, LNER, Northern Trains, Southeastern, TransPennine Express and West Midlands Trains.

What’s been said about the strike?

Mick Whelan, general secretary of ASLEF said: “With inflation running at north of 10% that means those drivers have had a real terms pay cut over the last three years. We want an increase in line with the cost of living – we want to be able to buy, in 2022, what we could buy in 2021.

“It’s not unreasonable to ask your employer to make sure you’re not worse off for three years in a row. Especially as the train companies are doing very nicely, thank you, out of Britain’s railways – with handsome profits, dividends for shareholders, and big salaries for managers – and train drivers don’t want to work longer for less.

“We don’t think we’re special; we believe no worker in this country should put up with pay cuts year after year just because this government has allowed inflation to rise. Whatever happened to the Tory wish for good, well-paid, jobs? Obviously that’s only for the CEOs, not for the workers doing the job.”

Last week, Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “The eyes of the world will be on our region when we play host to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games this summer and the sense of excitement and anticipation amongst local residents is building. It would be such a shame if strike action was to disrupt what should be an unbridled moment of collective celebration for us all.

“That’s why I hope through dialogue we can avoid this damaging course of action. Given the stake everyone in the West Midlands – including those considering strike action – has in these Games being a success, I’m confident we can get this resolved so that the people of the West Midlands can enjoy these Games to the full.”

What has Transport for West Midlands said?

A spokesperson for Transport for West Midlands said: “There are negotiations to secure coach services for the Commonwealth Games and these will be commercially operated, whether or not there is a strike. Those up front costs will be covered from the Commonwealth Games transport budget, but offset through income from fare paying passengers.”

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