The end of August has brought yet more strike action within both the rail sector and the postal service. This comes after a disrupted summer of rail strikes and a feeling of anguish among the population, yet the reasoning behind the strikes and the significance they hold cannot be understated.

Unions have cited wages failing to increase at the same rate as inflation and concerns over compulsory redundancies as some of the reasons for the industrial action. This has prompted the most severe strikes ever seen and an unprecedented Royal Mail walk-out. 

There has been little movement on the issues that are causing the strikes and the considerable disruption could continue into the winter. Therefore, should the population brace itself for strikes to become commonplace? Or is this extreme strike action a temporary phenomenon that will cease to exist in a few weeks? 

Rail Network Strikes

There have been significant strikes throughout the summer on the rail networks with three days of disruption having taken place on the 18th, 19th and 20th August. 40,000 members of the RMT, 2,500 members of the TSSA, and 14 train operators have joined the strikes. Previously Aslef, the train driver’s union, conducted a strike on the 13th August and Avanti West Coast have cut train services for the foreseeable future, blaming the persistent strikes. 

In the midst of this disruption, the rail unions have set out their reasoning for striking. Manuel Cortes, the general secretary of TSSA, said the strikes were occurring due to wages failing to keep up with rising inflation, non-compulsory redundancies still occurring and no changes to terms and conditions.

Mick Lynch, RMT general secretary, also referenced disputes over pay and job security as the main reasons for the strikes, claiming that “the rail industry and the government need to understand that the dispute will not simply vanish. They need to get serious about providing an offer on pay which helps deal with the cost-of-living crisis, job security for our members and provides good conditions at work”. 

These strikes are particularly concerning for the British commuter and holiday-maker, as routine train travel has been disrupted. The Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, has urged “union bosses to reconsider this divisive action and instead work with their employers, not against them, to agree a new way forward”. However, after continued disputes, the rail unions have argued that “thousands of railway workers have run out of patience” after seeing their living standards “plummet”.

Mick Whelan, Aslef’s general secretary, has also argued that the reduction to Avanti West Coast’s timetable is not due to strikes but instead due to them being a “cheapskate company that will not train enough drivers and rely on rest day working”. 

At a first glance, it appears that the disruption is set to continue, as unions and rail companies remain at odds over pay and security. 

Royal Mail Strikes

Another industry that has been and will continue to be disrupted is the postal service. The Communication Workers Union (CWU) will strike on the 26th and 31st August and 8th and 9th September, with 97% voting to take industrial action on a 77% turnout.

The CWU has blamed limited increases in pay and reduced job security as their General Secretary, Dave Ward, argued that “nobody takes the decision to strike lightly, but postal workers are being pushed to the brink… we can’t keep living in a country where bosses rake in billions in profit while their employees are forced to use food banks”.

However, there is disagreement over the profits of Royal Mail and the efforts to modernise. Ricky McAulay, the operations development director at Royal Mail claimed that “the CWU have failed to engage in any meaningful discussions on the changes we need to modernise…in a business that is currently losing £1 million a day, we can only fund this offer by agreeing the changed that will pay for it”. 

There was short-term relief for Royal Mail throughout the pandemic, as they saw a temporary spike in demand and profits. GLS, a parcel operator based in Amsterdam, which is a subsidiary of the Royal Mail Group, has driven profits in recent months while the UK postal service made a loss of £92 million. There is significant concern that the postal service cannot stand by while profits are haemorrhaging.

Royal Mail has made attempts to modernise to claw back money. Simon Thompson, Royal Mail executive, pointed out that “around half of our Sunday deliveries are done through temporary workers and we’re certainly grateful for their help, but in terms of quality and productivity it’s not as good as what we would get from the core team”.

This dispute over modernisation and the development of the sector has caused concern among the unions, prompting the strikes. The decision to take strike action is a recent development in the long-standing saga of pushes for modernisation and disputes over pay within the postal service.

These strikes will have a drastic effect not only on their respective sectors but also on everyday life. The strikes could spell trouble ahead, as unions and industry fail to negotiate agreements and make compromises. For now, however, there are deadlocks within the rail and postal services, and strikes may become more of a frequent phenomenon in the future.