RMT Strike June 2022: will protest affect people in Newcastle, what are the dates and why is it happening?

The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Worker (RMT) confirmed that strike action would take place in June 2022 last month following a record turn out of people voting in favour of the strike action.

Now the union has confirmed the dates for the strike action, and it is set to be the biggest rail strike since 1989.

So how will services in and around Newcastle be affected?

Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming strike action.

Why is the strike happening?

RMT confirmed that workers have agreed to a three-day walkout later this month.

Last month around 40,000 RMT members who work for Network Rail and other train companies in the UK were balloted to vote.

There was a huge turnout of voters who turned up to have their say on the matter, with 71% of those balloted voting on the action.

89% of those voting voted in favour of strike action and 11% voting against.

When announcing the official dates for the strike Mick Lynch, RMT general secretary, released a statement explaining the reason behind the strike: "Railway workers have been treated appallingly and despite our best efforts in negotiations, the rail industry with the support of the government has failed to take their concerns seriously.”

"We have a cost-of-living crisis, and it is unacceptable for railway workers to either lose their jobs or face another year of a pay freeze when inflation is at 11.1pc and rising.

"Our union will now embark on a sustained campaign of industrial action which will shut down the railway system.

"Rail companies are making at least £500m a year in profits, whilst fat cat rail bosses have been paid millions during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"This unfairness is fuelling our members’ anger and their determination to win a fair settlement.

"RMT is open to meaningful negotiations with rail bosses and ministers, but they will need to come up with new proposals to prevent months of disruption on our railways.”

When is the strike?

Earlier this week RMT union representatives confirmed that the strike action will take place on 21, 23 and 25 June.

The union released a statement saying: “rail union RMT will launch 3 days of national strike action across the railway network.”

“Over 50,000 railway workers will walkout as part of 3 days of national strike action later this month, in the biggest dispute on the network since 1989.”

“The union will shut down the country’s railway network on 21st, 23rd and 25th June, due to the inability of the rail employers to come to a negotiated settlement with RMT.

How will services in Newcastle be affected?

From the official list of companies in which workers are confirmed to be taking part in the strike it seems that disruption within services from and to Newcastle is likely.

Customers are advised to check with their train company before travel and keep up to date on the latest updates via their website.

The following is a list of companies that runs services to and from key places in Newcastle and across the country:

• LNER 
• Northern Trains
• Cross Country Trains 
• Transpennine Express

Here is the full list of train services where staff have voted for strike action:

• Network Rail
• 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

The following company voted for action short of strike:

• GTR (including Gatwick Express)