London commuters face more train strike misery as major rail operator staff set to walk out

Detailed summary

Workers at Great Western Railway have voted to strike

London commuters are facing more strike disruption after workers at a major rail operator voted to walk out.

Staff at Great Western Railway (GWR) have backed strike action in a dispute over flexible working arrangements, pay and pensions.

Members of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) working in areas including rostering, service delivery and performance strategy are involved in the row.

Separate votes in different areas of the business showed strong support for strikes and other forms of industrial action, the union said.

The strike announcement comes as London faces eight 24-hour strikes on the Tube in November, December, January and February.

The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) announced a new wave of walkouts in a row with Transport for London (TfL) over a voluntary four-day week for Tube drivers.

GWR runs services in and out of London Paddington linking the capital to the South West, Wales and the South.

TSSA general secretary Maryam Eslamdoust said: “Strike action and action short of a strike, which will have a real impact on services at GWR, are now inevitable unless the company addresses these perfectly legitimate demands.

“It’s in no way reasonable for our members to suffer any financial hardship for doing shift work, which in itself runs the increased risk of physical and mental impairment.

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