Rail strike dates 2023: Full list of industrial action in August & September - which trains are affected?

Train services in the UK are set to be disrupted again this bank holiday weekend as tens of thousands of workers gear up for more industrial action. 20,000 members from the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) will stage walkouts over the coming days - while drivers from ASLEF are planning a separate strike that will further add to disruption across much of the UK’s rail network.

The strikes are likely to be on a similar scale to previous action, which has shut down the majority of the country’s rail services. Some operators will be unable to run any trains altogether, while others will offer a “significantly reduced” service.

ASLEF said its strike will force train companies across England to cancel all services, while a ban on overtime will “seriously disrupt” the network. Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming strikes this weekend including dates, which companies are affected and why workers are striking.

What dates are the train strikes in August and September?

RMT are set to strike on the following dates in August and September 2023:

• Saturday, August 26
• Saturday, September 2

Drivers represented by ASLEF are holding a separate strike on Friday, September 1, while the union will also ban overtime on the same day as the second RMT strike on Saturday, September 2. The last strikes took place over three days on Thursday, July 20,Saturday, July 22 and Saturday, July 29.

Which train operating companies are affected by the strikes?

The 14 train operating companies affected by the most recent RMT train strikes are:

• Chiltern Railways
• Cross Country Trains
• Greater Anglia
• LNER
• East Midlands Railway
• c2c
• Great Western Railway
• Northern Trains
• South Eastern
• South Western Railway
• Transpennine Express
• Avanti West Coast
• West Midlands Trains
• GTR (including Gatwick Express)

The companies affected by the driver union’s action are:

• Avanti West Coast
• Chiltern Railways
• c2c
• CrossCountry
• East Midlands Railway
• Greater Anglia
• GTR Great Northern Thameslink
• Great Western Railway
• Island Line
• LNER
• Northern Trains
• Southeastern
• Southern/Gatwick Express
• South Western Railway
• TransPennine Express
• West Midlands Trains

Why are the rail strikes happening?

Disputes between unions and train companies in the UK have now been dragging on for well over a year, with rail workers taking action to protest poor pay and working conditions. Unions say any pay offer should reflect the rising cost of living - with the inflation rate only recently having dipped below 10 per cent.

However, the rail industry is under pressure to save money after the pandemi and says changes to ways of working need to be agreed in order for pay to increase - which the unions are not happy with. The RMT general secretary, Mick Lynch, said: “The mood among our members remains solid and determined in our national dispute over pay, job security and working conditions.

“We have had to call further strike action as we have received no improved or revised offer from the Rail Delivery Group. The reason for this is the government has not allowed them a fresh mandate on which discussions could be held.

“Our members and our union will continue fighting until we can reach a negotiated and just settlement.”