RMT London train strikes August and September 2023: List of companies plus Reading Festival and Premier League

Railway workers have announced two more days of strikes this summer in a national dispute over working conditions, pay and job security.

Around 20,000 RMT members will walk out on Saturday August 26 and Saturday September 2.

Which train companies face strikes?

The 14 train operating companies affected:

• Chiltern Railways
• Cross Country Trains
• Greater Anglia
• LNER
• East Midlands Railway
• c2c
• Great Western Railway
• Northern Trains
• South Eastern
• South Western Railway
• Transpennine Express,
• Avanti West Coast,
• West Midlands Trains
• GTR (including Gatwick Express)

Train strikes for All Points East, Reading Festival and Premier League fixtures

The first RMT strike date, Saturday August 2, falls on the middle day of the Reading Festival and should not affect too many festival-goers.

In east London that day, Jungle will be headlining at All Points East.

In the Premier League, Tottenham are away to Bournemouth at lunchtime. At 3pm, Arsenal host Fulham, Brentford host Crystal Palace, and West Ham are away at Brighton.

Saturday September 2 falls in the middle of End of the Road Festival in Dorset.

In the Premier League, Brentford host Bournemouth, Spurs travel to Burnley, Chelsea host Nottingham Forest, and Fulham are at Manchester City - all at 3pm.

What the RMT’s Mick Lynch said

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “The mood among our members remains solid and determined in our national dispute over pay, job security and working conditions. We have had to call further strike action as we have received no improved or revised offer from the Rail Delivery Group.

“The reason for this is the government has not allowed them a fresh mandate on which discussions could be held. Our members and our union will continue fighting until we can reach a negotiated and just settlement.”

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Rail Delivery Group strikes response

A Rail Delivery Group spokesperson said: “With further strike action the RMT are once again targeting customers looking to enjoy various sporting events, festivals, and the end of the summer holidays, disrupting their plans and forcing more cars onto the road.”

“We have now made three offers, the latest of which would have given staff pay rises of up to 13% as well as job security guarantees and the RMT executive have blocked this without a convincing explanation.

“We remain open to talks and we have said repeatedly that we want to give our people a pay rise, but until the union leadership and executive is united in what it wants and engages in good faith with the 30% shortfall in revenue the industry is continuing to grapple with post Covid, it is difficult to move forward. Unfortunately, the repercussion of this impasse affects our staff, customers, and the communities across the country that rely on the railway.”

Department for Transport

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: "The RMT leadership's decision to call more strikes and cynically target the travelling public over the Bank Holiday weekend is disappointing.

"The government has facilitated fair and reasonable pay offers. However, union bosses are opting to prolong this dispute by blocking their members from having a vote on these offers - we continue to urge that members are given their say, and disruption is brought to an end.”