Rail passengers traveling with West Midlands Railway are facing significant disruption this week due to planned strike action by members of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA). The union is in an ongoing dispute over pay and has confirmed the industrial action will proceed as scheduled, despite Tube strikes in London being called off.
Strike Details and Affected Areas
The walkout will affect services in Birmingham, the Black Country, Wolverhampton, Warwickshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, and Staffordshire on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. The strikes involve roster clerks, duty train crew managers, and control staff, and are expected to severely impact services across the network.
TSSA General Secretary Statement
TSSA general secretary Maryam Eslamdoust said: "As things stand, these strikes will go ahead as planned because the company is simply refusing to give our members parity with those in other unions. That is an intolerable situation, especially given the fact these are modest demands." She added that union representatives had consulted their membership, who "remain determined to proceed with their legitimate action," noting that the union "only takes strike action as a last resort." The union is seeking parity with other unions on rest day pay.
Travel Advice
West Midlands Railway has advised customers to "only travel if necessary" on Friday and Saturday. The operator confirmed services on both days will be very limited, running on a small number of routes and adhering to a reduced timetable. Passengers should note there will be no trains operating after 7pm on Friday, and services will not commence until 7am on Saturday.
London Tube Strikes Called Off
The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union previously announced that its members were due to walk out for 24 hours from midday on Tuesday and again on Thursday from midday. However, the strikes were called off at the last minute. A union spokesperson said: "At the 11th hour, the employer has shifted its position, allowing us to further explore our members' concerns around the imposition of new rosters, fatigue and safety issues. The dispute is not over and more strike action will follow if we fail to make sufficient progress." Strikes scheduled for 16 and 18 June have also been called off, but the union announced new 24-hour strike dates on 2 and 4 June if the dispute remains unresolved. The RMT says its members oppose a new four-day working week arrangement on the Underground, but the Aslef train drivers' union, which represents a slight majority of Tube drivers, has backed Transport for London's proposal.
