Wot - no more strikes in my diary?

[whole diary]

[IndustryInsider]

AIUI^▸ ('as I understand it') they have to be careful to not be accused of co-ordinated action to cause the most disruption, so choosing the same day removes that risk I guess.

[grahame]

Details on the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-62969423 with analysis by Katy Austin:

We're now months in to this series of strikes. But Saturday 1 October is shaping up to be the biggest day of action yet to hit the railway, with members of multiple unions, including train drivers, taking action on the same day.

Talks have so far failed to produce agreements. The ongoing disputes appear deadlocked. Unions continue to push for a pay rise to help workers cope with high inflation, and the rail industry insisting "modernisations" must pay for any increase in wages because of the financial gap left by Covid.

It's still unclear how this impasse can be broken - although when it comes to the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers), Network Rail has argued members should be allowed a vote on its latest offer.

If they go ahead, these will also be the first train strikes since Anne-Marie Trevelyan replaced Grant Shapps as Transport Secretary.

She has already invited the general secretaries of Aslef, RMT and TSSA^» (Transport Salaried Staffs' Association - about) for meetings. This signals a desire to be seen to take a less adversarial approach than her predecessor. However, it doesn't mean the substance of the government's position has changed.

[broadgage]

AIUI^▸ ('as I understand it') they have to be careful to not be accused of co-ordinated action to cause the most disruption, so choosing the same day removes that risk I guess.

AFAIK^▸ ('as far as I know'), nothing prohibits trade unions from coordinating strike action.
What IS prohibited is sympathetic strike action whereby trades unions who are not in dispute, refuse to do certain work in order to help support other disputes.

The classic example was rail workers refusing to handle coal trains, NOT because said rail workers were in dispute, but to support the coal miners who were in dispute.
Or Royal mail workers refusing to handle post for Grunwick, a film developing firm involved in a dispute.

Such cases used to be common but are now prohibited.

[TaplowGreen]

BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) leading on the impact on the London Marathon if strikes go ahead on 1 October

BBC News - Train strikes could impact the London Marathon
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-62969423

[IndustryInsider]

AFAIK^▸ ('as far as I know'), nothing prohibits trade unions from coordinating strike action.

Yes, I think you’re right having done some more research.  Though ASLEF^» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about) seem to think it’s not allowed:

https://www.workersliberty.org/blogs/2022-07-12/aslef-drivers-vote-strikes-now-name-coordinated-action

[Marlburian]

It seems that TASS is having its own strike on GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) services on Thursday, October 6 ("strike action by TSSA^» (Transport Salaried Staffs' Association - about) managers and office staff only"). The National Rail website advises that "an extremely limited service will operate. Services will start at 07:30 and all journeys must be completed before 18:30" - and promises a timetable update  today, Sunday.

No doubt TASS members are important, even vital, workers in the rail industry, but is their action really going to have such an impact? I wonder if someone has merely copied the warning previously posted for days when ASLEF^» (Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen - about) members are on strike.

(A friend is flying in from Poland the day before and is due to visit me on Thursday and I'm wondering whether to advise her to endure the Waterloo-Reading service - I'm waiting to see what the updated timetable is like.)

[IndustryInsider]

TSSA^» (Transport Salaried Staffs' Association - about) members staff the control office, so that’s why action by them can have a big impact still as there needs to be control staff.