A new set of rail strikes has been announced for December 2023, with members of the Aslef union walking out on various dates at the beginning of the month.

Train drivers are set to stage a series of one-day strikes as well as a nine-day ban on overtime next month.

Aslef said it had previously called all its members out on strike on the same day but by spreading the action, the ramifications for the rail industry will be “greater”.

Discussing the strikes Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan said: “We are determined to win this dispute and get a significant pay rise for train drivers who have not had an increase since 2019, while the cost of living, in that time, has soared."

Exmouth Journal: Aslef members will also not accept overtime at the beginning of DecemberAslef members will also not accept overtime at the beginning of December (Image: James Manning/PA Wire)

When will Aslef strikes take place in December 2023?

The one-day strikes will take place on the following days on the following rail operators:

  • Saturday, December 2 - EMR and LNER
  • Sunday, December 3 - Avanti West Coast, Chiltern, Great Northern Thameslink, and WMT
  • Tuesday, December 5 - C2C and Greater Anglia
  • Wednesday, December 6 - Southeastern, Southern/Gatwick Express, the SWR main line and depot, and on the Island Line
  • Thursday, December 7 - CrossCountry and Great Western Railway
  • Friday, December 8 - Northern and TPT

All Aslef members will refuse to work any overtime from Friday, December 1 to Saturday, December 9.

Speaking further on the strikes Mr Whelan said: “The Transport Secretary, who has gone missing in action during this dispute, says we should put the offer to our members.

“What the minister apparently fails to understand is that, since the Rail Delivery Group’s (RDG) risible offer in April, we have received overwhelming mandates, on enormous turnouts, for more industrial action.

“Our members have spoken and we know what they think. Every time they vote – and they have voted overwhelmingly – for strike action in pursuit of a proper pay rise it is a clear rejection of the offer that was made in April.

“The RDG’s offer – a land grab for all our terms and conditions – was made in the full knowledge that it couldn’t – and wouldn’t – be accepted.”

Strikes have also been held since June 2022 by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, who are now voting on a deal aimed at resolving their dispute.