Aslef pay dispute: Fresh strikes by train drivers in May and June announced, including the day of FA Cup final

Train drivers are set to stage three rounds of fresh strikes in their long-running dispute over pay, including on the day of the FA Cup final and the Epsom Derby on June 3. The latest round of industrial action was announced by their union, Aslef.

The union reportedly has rejected a 4% pay offer from train operators and has therefore called strikes at 16 operators for May 12, 31, and June 3. Aslef’s general secretary Mick Whelan said: "Our executive committee met this morning and rejected a risible proposal we received from a pressure group which represents some of the train companies.

"The proposal - of just 4% - was clearly not designed to be accepted as inflation is still running north of 10% and our members at these companies have not had an increase for four years."

As well as strikes, Aslef said it would withdraw non-contractual overtime from May 15 to 20 and again on May 13 and June 1. Mr Whelan said the union "do not want to go on strike" but said the "blame for this action lies, fairly and squarely, at the feet of the employers who have forced our hand over this by their intransigence".

"It is now up to them to come up with a more sensible, and realistic, offer and we ask the government not to hinder this process," he said.

The affected train companies are:

• Avanti West Coast
• Chiltern Railways
• CrossCountry
• East Midlands Railway
• Great Western Railway.
• Greater Anglia
• GTR Great Northern 
• Thameslink and London North Eastern Railway
• Northern Trains
• Southeastern
• Southern/Gatwick Express
• South Western Railway
• SWR depot drivers
• SWR Island Line
• Transpennine Express
• West Midlands Trains.