UK Train Strike Crisis Deepens: Aslef Union Announces December Strikes, Hospitality Sector Braces for Impact
UK Train Drivers’ Union Announces New Strikes
Aslef, the UK’s train drivers’ union, has declared a fresh wave of 24-hour strikes and an overtime ban set for early December.
Drivers from each company are slated to strike for one day during the week from Saturday 2 to Friday 8 December, and will also reject any overtime work from Friday 1 to Saturday 9 December. This action is expected to severely disrupt operations for companies dependent on rest-day work.
This announcement follows a similar pattern of industrial actions taken before the 2022 festive season, which was predicted to cost the UK hospitality sector approximately £1.5 billion.
According to UKHospitality, a leading trade body, the rail strikes may have cost the sector as much as £2.5 billion since the summer of 2022, with the projected loss now escalating to around £3.5 billion over the last eighteen months.
The latest strike news arrives amidst signals of a potential breakthrough between the RMT union and employers, with a pay agreement pending approval through a member vote.
Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive of UKHospitality, expressed deep concern: “These strikes will severely impact hospitality businesses right at the onset of the vital festive period, potentially stripping the sector of up to £800 million in revenue during one of the year’s peak weeks.
Nicholls highlighted the ongoing rail dispute’s significant cost to the sector, totaling £3.5 billion over the past year and a half. The strikes not only disrupt business operations but also hinder staff from working and disrupt families’ Christmas plans.
She called for immediate action, urging all involved parties to resume negotiations and reach a resolution that averts these detrimental strikes. She highlighted the RMT’s recent agreement as a potential model to avoid Christmas strikes.
Nicholls also emphasized the importance of avoiding strikes in December, one of the busiest months, particularly considering the anticipated revenue drop during the “fallow months” of January to March. She concluded by underscoring the urgent need for the Chancellor to extend business rates support in the upcoming Autumn Statement, to assist businesses in coping with the adverse effects of ongoing rail strikes.
