London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jul 30, 2025

Train strikes: Series of walkouts from Saturday suspended

Train strikes: Series of walkouts from Saturday suspended

A series of strikes by railway workers planned for 5, 7 and 9 November has been suspended, the RMT union has said.

But Network Rail warned that the late notice meant services on Saturday would remain "extremely limited", and trains on Monday are likely to be affected.

The RMT, which represents rail workers, said it would now enter "a period of intensive negotiations" with Network Rail and train operating companies.

The strikes had been called in a dispute over pay and conditions.

They involved staff at Network Rail, which employs signalling workers across England, Scotland and Wales, as well as workers at 14 train companies.

The action had been expected to have a major impact across the network, with only a fifth of services due to run.

The suspension is a significant development, as it is the first time in the RMT's long-running dispute that a strike has been called off to make further talks easier.

Another transport union, the TSSA, had already called off November action at Network Rail so that discussions could continue, and on Friday suspended planned rail strikes on Saturday, Monday and Wednesday at different firms.

It had planned to take strike action at five train firms including Avanti West Coast and West Midlands Trains.

Avanti said on Friday it would not reinstate services on Saturday, Monday and Wednesday.

West Midlands Trains said a reduced timetable will remain in place for at least Saturday and Monday.


Rugby hit


However, the cancellation of the strikes has come "too late" for thousands of rugby fans travelling to Cardiff for the Wales v New Zealand autumn international, Network Rail Wales said.

There will be fewer trains before the game, and none leaving Cardiff after it has finished.

Tom and Lydia Ellis, who are from New Zealand but living in Bristol, will have to take a bus to get to the game.

"I won't be fully relaxed until we're in the stadium," said Mr Ellis.

ScotRail will only run a skeleton service on Saturday, with the rail operator warning of significant disruption to its services. Only 11 of its routes will remain open.

And a London Underground strike planned for Thursday is still set to go ahead.


'Pay promise'


RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said the threat of strike action "has made the rail employers see sense".

"We have always wanted to secure a negotiated settlement and that is what we will continue to push for in this next phase of intensive talks.

"Our priority is our members, and we are working towards securing a deal on job security, a decent pay rise and good working conditions."

Mick Lynch (pictured left) said the threat of industrial action had "made the rail employers see sense"


He added that there had been "the promise of an offer" on pay from the rail operating companies.

However, when contacted by the BBC, rail employers and the government said their position had not changed.

The suspension has been announced 11 days before a fresh RMT strike ballot is due to close on 15 November.

Mr Lynch previously told the BBC that he expected workers to vote in favour, and warned that there could be strikes for another six months if no agreement is reached.

Tim Shoveller, Network Rail's chief negotiator, said Saturday services would remain "extremely limited".

He said Network Rail "look forward to getting back round the table with all our trades unions early next week to see if the progress made this week can be built on, and a resolution found."

Network Rail continues to advise passengers to check before they travel, and to only travel by rail if absolutely necessary on Saturday and Monday.

Mr Shoveller said on Monday there will be "limited ability" to change the strike timetable.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said suspending the strike action was "a positive development for passengers up and down the country".

He added that calling off the latest ones has given negotiations between unions and employers a "better chance of success".

The Rail Delivery Group (RDG), which represents train companies, said that it was "positive" that the RMT had "stepped back from the brink".

Rosters for drivers are typically agreed a week in advance, and so the "short notice cancellation" of the strikes "means that train driver availability will inevitably be very challenging and rely primarily on volunteers", the RDG added.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
×