Unions

Refurbished and in its new livery, CrossCountry 170101 passes Elford occupation bridge with a Nottingham-Cardiff Central service on April 9. On their Birmingham-Cambridge journey, our Mystery Shopper had to ‘rough it’ on an unrefurbished unit. PAUL KEIGHTLEY.

News

Union dispute affects CrossCountry services

CrossCountry has warned passengers of “short notice cancellations” to its services across the network as an unresolved dispute with the RMT union begins to affect its timetable.

CrossCountry 13 Jun

Feature

In defence of the train drivers - Interview with Mick Whelan

After two years of strike action, ASLEF struck a deal with the new government in September. For Mick Whelan, it was just another chapter in his fight for his members. RICHARD WILCOCK speaks to the union chief

Industrial relations 12 Mar

Comment

General Secretary Lynch to stand down from the RMT

Christian Wolmar looks at what Mick Lynch's retirement means for his union and the politics of the rail sector

Chirstian Wolmar 28 Jan

Avanti West Coast is the principal operator on the West Coast Main Line, and has submitted five different bids for extra train paths as it seeks to return services that were withdrawn during COVID. But it faces competition from a posse of open access operators. AWC 805005 approaches Rugeley Trent Valley on May 10, during a Class 805 ‘Evero’ test run. ALAMY.

News

Avanti West Coast train managers to strike over Christmas in rest day working row

RMT members have rejected an offer from the operator

Avanti West Coast 11 Dec

Author Phil Haigh landscape columnist image

Comment

Opinion: Rest day agreements to get Northern back on track

Too many cancellations are damaging the operator’s ability to provide a reliable railway. The issues run deeper than the use of fax machines, says Philip Haigh

Phil Haigh 19 Nov

News

Revised pay offer in Scotland goes to union vote

ASLEF staff at ScotRail and the Caledonian Sleeper, both nationalised by the Scottish government two years ago, have been balloted on a revised pay offer.

Unions 16 Sept

News

Rail unions call for removal of profit motive

Britain’s trade union movement has called on the Labour government to expand publicly-owned freight operations and end the “profiteering” of rolling stock ownership companies.

Unions 9 Sept

Comment

Opinion: Poor timing from ASLEF

Adverse publicity for Labour and the union could easily have been avoided with better coordination, says Christian Wolmar.

Christian Wolmar 9 Sept

Rail union members and campaigners call for nationalisation and public ownership of the railways in an Action for Rail campaign outside London Bridge station in 2016. How far the government is able to go with its nationalisation plans may well depend on the money available. ALAMY.

Comment

Analysis: will nationalisation best serve rail passengers?

Nationalisation is Labour’s special word for change in the way Britain’s railways are run, but what will it really mean? Howard Johnston investigates.

Industry views 6 Sept

Comment

Opinion: Train drivers' pay and impediments to recovery

Outdated working practices remain in train driver pay offer, says our Industry Insider.

Industry views 4 Sept

Comment

Opinion: Who will pay for the drivers' pay deal?

The government is walking a financial tightrope, says Howard Johnston.

Industry views 29 Aug

03/06/23 photo of members of the Aslef union on a picket line near to Leeds train station. ALAMY

News

ASLEF to vote on new deal for train drivers

ASLEF, the train drivers’ union, has secured a pay offer that it will recommend its members accept.

Strikes 15 Aug

News

Edinburgh Tram workers back strike action

Edinburgh tram workers are set to strike over concerns about late running times which are preventing them from taking essential breaks.

Edinburgh Trams 14 Aug

News

ScotRail announces temporary timetable amid union dispute

ScotRail is introducing a temporary timetable to provide greater certainty and reliability for passengers amidst ongoing pay talks with train driver unions.

ScotRail 9 Jul

News

Open access firms labelled ‘parasites’ by union leaders

Open access operators are parasitical and cut passenger choice, two rail union leaders have told the House of Commons Transport Select Committee.

Open access 22 May

News

RMT ‘win’ over retention of guards on Barrhead line

THE RMT union has claimed a “significant win” after ScotRail agreed to continue driver-and-guard operation on its £63 million newly electrified line to Barrhead, and its £140m East Kilbride electrification project, on which work started earlier this year.

industrial action 21 May

Comment

R980 - Pay deal a positive result

Punctuality and reliability now key to rail’s recovery

Phil Haigh 6 Apr

News

New grades and working practices at heart of RDG offer

The Rail Delivery Group has increased its pay offer to the RMT union, with regard to the rail dispute with the 14 Department for Transport-contracted operators

8 Feb

News

TSSA union backs skills training initiatives

HS2 Ltd says that 2,200 people who were previously out of work have now secured skilled jobs at its 350 sites between London, the Midlands and Crewe

17 Sept

News

Go-Ahead fined £23.5m for Southeastern breaches

The Go-Ahead Group has been fined £23.5 million for breaching its agreement with government for the former London and South Eastern Railway franchise.

26 Mar

Unions

Union dispute affects CrossCountry services

In defence of the train drivers - Interview with Mick Whelan

General Secretary Lynch to stand down from the RMT

Avanti West Coast train managers to strike over Christmas in rest day working row

Opinion: Rest day agreements to get Northern back on track

Revised pay offer in Scotland goes to union vote

Rail unions call for removal of profit motive

Opinion: Poor timing from ASLEF

Analysis: will nationalisation best serve rail passengers?

Opinion: Train drivers' pay and impediments to recovery

Opinion: Who will pay for the drivers' pay deal?

ASLEF to vote on new deal for train drivers

Edinburgh Tram workers back strike action

ScotRail announces temporary timetable amid union dispute

Open access firms labelled ‘parasites’ by union leaders

RMT ‘win’ over retention of guards on Barrhead line

R980 - Pay deal a positive result

New grades and working practices at heart of RDG offer

TSSA union backs skills training initiatives

Go-Ahead fined £23.5m for Southeastern breaches

Most read

No takers so first DB Cargo UK Class 67 goes for scrap

HS2 faces £100bn cost and delay until late-2030s, government told

FirstGroup explains why Class 222s were "only option" for Lumo Euston-Stirling service

Unions

Union dispute affects CrossCountry services

In defence of the train drivers - Interview with Mick Whelan

General Secretary Lynch to stand down from the RMT

Avanti West Coast train managers to strike over Christmas in rest day working row

Opinion: Rest day agreements to get Northern back on track

Revised pay offer in Scotland goes to union vote

Rail unions call for removal of profit motive

Opinion: Poor timing from ASLEF

Analysis: will nationalisation best serve rail passengers?

Opinion: Train drivers' pay and impediments to recovery

Opinion: Who will pay for the drivers' pay deal?

ASLEF to vote on new deal for train drivers

Edinburgh Tram workers back strike action

ScotRail announces temporary timetable amid union dispute

Open access firms labelled ‘parasites’ by union leaders

RMT ‘win’ over retention of guards on Barrhead line

R980 - Pay deal a positive result

New grades and working practices at heart of RDG offer

TSSA union backs skills training initiatives

Go-Ahead fined £23.5m for Southeastern breaches

Most read

No takers so first DB Cargo UK Class 67 goes for scrap

HS2 faces £100bn cost and delay until late-2030s, government told

FirstGroup explains why Class 222s were "only option" for Lumo Euston-Stirling service

GB Railfreight planning to repurpose at least 12 more Class 66s for heavy trainloads

DB Cargo UK discussing transferring drivers to rival as it deals with Network Rail contract loss

FirstGroup confirms Class 222s for Euston-Stirling Lumo route

Chiltern Railways on verge of agreeing deal to take ex-TransPennine Express Mk 5s

Why the Class 67s have been running on borrowed time for nearly the whole of their lives

Network Rail begins process to replace rail infrastructure monitoring trains