Great Western Railway engineers continue strike action over pay

Rail operator’s owner First Group profits up to £654m but workers offered nothing

Around 350 Great Western Railway (GWR) engineers will take further strike action on Thursday 15 December over pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today. The workers previously went on strike in September.

Despite GWR’s parent company First Group, which is based in Aberdeen, making pre-tax profits of £654 million in 2021/22, the company is refusing to offer the workers a pay rise. It will be the third year in a row their pay has been frozen. Meanwhile the real rate of inflation, RPI, is at 14.2 per cent.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Our members at Great Western Railway have not had a pay rise in three years. Now, with soaring living costs, their wages are falling even further behind. Great Western and First Group have no reason not to address this when their profits are so high. It is sheer greed on the part of the employer and our members have Unite’s full backing in striking for a fair pay rise.”

The striking workers are based at depots and stations in London, Exeter, Tiverton, Plymouth, Swindon, Swansea, Reading, Penzance, Oxford and Bristol. If the dispute is not resolved then more strikes will be scheduled.

Unite regional officer John McGookin said: “Responsibility for any disruption to Great Western’s passengers lies entirely at the door of the company. They can clearly afford to put forward a pay rise that reflects the cost of living but are refusing to do. They must return to the negotiating table with an offer our members can accept.”