It was announced by ASLEF, the train drivers union that they will hold further strikes across England’s rail network on the 7th, 8th and 9th of May.
For people with disabilities who struggle with there emotions because of the conditions that they have it can cause untold upset and distress, that isn’t nice for anyone, we rely on the rail network and trains to get around independently.
My message to those striking from the union is a simple one and is this ” enough is definitely enough it’s not easy when you rely on trains to get to places such as Birmingham, London and Manchester and you can’t do that because the big thing that helps you become independent goes.
Because the train drivers are stood on picket lines outside stations and not in there cabs driving there trains a long the tracks.
As I said in my blog last week when the strike action was first announced “I would be able to stomach the announcement if it was the week before when I am supposed to be visiting Birmingham & Sheffield for a couple of sporting events.
” As a wheelchair user the rail network is my life line if I want to go anywhere independently because I am unable to drive for medical reasons”.
” It feels like the enjoyment and sense of pride around attending a royal garden party has gone following this news that I wasn’t expecting” .
ASLEF says that it hasn’t had a pay increase in the last 5 years, however government say that it has a made a pay offer that would bring train drivers salaries up to an average of £65,000, almost twice the yearly average salary in the UK.
Train drivers across the midlands will walk out on Wednesday the 8th of May as part of their long running dispute over pay and working conditions.
The upcoming industrial action
Tuesday May 7th: c2c, Greater Anglia, Great Northern, Thameslink, Southeastern, Southern/Gatwick Express and South Western Railway.
Wednesday May 8th: Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, Crosscountry, East Midlands Railway, Great Western Railway, West Midlands Railway.
Thursday May 9th: LNER, Northern and Transpennine Express
Next week will also mark the fourth week of chaos since this industrial action first started almost 2 years ago
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Cam
JustBeingCP 