Who is on strike and what is the rail dispute about?

Rail passengers faced fresh travel misery on Friday because of a strike by train drivers.

–  Who is on strike today?

Members of the main drivers’ union, Aslef, and those in the Rail, Maritime and Transport union have walked out.

– What is the dispute about?

It is over pay and conditions.

–  What have train operators offered?

The latest offer is for a 4% pay rise last year and another 4% increase this year.

–  Why has it not been accepted?

Aslef says there are conditions attached to the offer which it claims would “rip up” long-standing agreements.

–  Does this dispute just involve train operators?

Yes, the negotiations are being fronted by the Rail Delivery Group, which represents most train companies.

– How widespread has the disruption been?

Many areas of the country have had no services on Friday and those trains that have run have started later and will finish earlier.

– Are there other disputes in the rail industry?

Yes, the RMT is involved in separate disputes with train operators and Network Rail (NR), which manages the rail infrastructure.

– What has NR offered?

NR made a revised offer last month of a 5% pay rise, backdated to January 1, 2022, and a further 4% this year, with a promise of no compulsory redundancies until January 31, 2025, and a £250 lump sum for those earning £24,000 or less.

Employees would be entitled to a 75% travel discount for themselves and immediate family.

– Has the offer been accepted?

The RMT is consulting with its members through branch and regional meetings before deciding its next move.

– Is the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) involved in the disputes?

TSSA members at NR accepted an offer last year but the union remains in dispute with train operators.

– Are more talks planned?

Yes, further talks are expected to be held in the next few days.

– Is there any hope of the disputes being resolved?

Aslef says its dispute is going backwards, but there is more chance of progress in the other disputes.

– What is the Government involvement in the disputes?

Ministers say they are facilitating talks between the two sides, but unions continue to insist the Government is blocking deals.

– Have any more strikes been called after Friday’s action?

No.

– How long could the strikes continue?

Union leaders say they are “in it for the long haul” and are not prepared to say when there could be a resolution.