West Midlands Trains Industrial Action July/August 2026

[VT 390]

It looks like there are further strikes on Friday 10th and Saturday 11th July.

Incident: Industrial action WMT | National Rail

Industrial action to affect London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway. Find details of all current incidents on National Rail Enquiries.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

Industrial Action

Strike action by membe

www.westmidlandsrailway.co.uk

Ah that's a shame, was hoping to tick off the Camp Hill line that Saturday.
Maybe this could do with it's own thread, or the title of this one being updated now there's more dates?

 

[Jamesrob637]

Too short notice: needs to be 14 days.

 

[Merseysider]

Too short notice: needs to be 14 days.

The union may well have informed the employer 14 days in advance, with the 'delay' to the TOC publishing this information being for any number of reasons.

 

[VT 390]

Too short notice: needs to be 14 days.

From what I understand its dropped to 10 days.
But that notice if for notifying the employer (train operators) not the public notice. I do agree this is frustrating and wish train operators would make an announcement as soon as they are informed even if they do not yet know the service impact but I understand why they do not do this.

 

[800002]

Too short notice: needs to be 14 days.

Nope.
This changed recently with the Royal Accent to whichever Bill in parliament the government managed to achieve.

It is now, 10 days notice required

* EDIT.

The UK's rules for trade union strikes are mainly set by the Employment Rights Act 2025 and parts of the Trade Union Act 2016.

These laws outline the rules unions must follow to hold legal strikes, protect workers from being fired, and dictate how much notice they must give employers.

Key rules for official strikes include:The Vote (Ballot): The union must hold a vote. Most members who vote must say yes to the strike. Warning Time: The union must give the boss at least 10 days' notice before the strike starts. Strike Time Limit: Once the vote passes, the union has 12 months to call a strike. Job Protection: Workers are protected from being fired if they take part in an official, legal strike.

With apologies for the formatting herein.

 

[trainophile]

The linked announcement is dated today at 14:40, which is only 7 days.

I have an Advance ticket affected by this, will Trainsplit do a refund?

 

[pokemonsuper9]

The linked announcement is dated today at 14:40, which is only 7 days.

Either way, it matters when they tell the employer, not when that employer tells us.

I have an Advance ticket affected by this, will Trainsplit do a refund?

According to the strikes page, if your train is cancelled, yes (linked the railforums site instead of trainsplit, same provider, makes no difference).

If you are affected by industrial action or disruption and decide not to travel, you can always request an instant refund online by following our step-by-step guide which explains how to use our refund system

 

[trainophile]

Step 3 - which option do I choose if I bought a new ticket via a different route that doesn't involve LNWR/WMR? I've just done this, in the light of no services at all between Birmingham and Hereford.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Step 3 - which option do I choose if I bought a new ticket via a different route that doesn't involve LNWR/WMR? I've just done this, in the light of no services at all between Birmingham and Hereford.

Refund from the retailer.
In theory you might've been able to go via Worcestershire Parkway for that (I think ticket acceptance was put in last time, nothing confirmed yet for this time), but not sure how well the times work on that anyway.

 

[andyjhatton]

It's a brave strategy; Cotton.
GBR are cutting services.
Avanti instructed to cut off-peak services.
Bromsgrove has lost half its Sunday Cross City services.
Seemingly the movement is in a downward direction.

How many people might ultimately be shown a P45, rather than a pay rise.

 

[trundlewagon]

Bromsgrove has lost half its Sunday Cross City services

That happened after Covid, along with 2 of the 6 per hour being chopped Mon-Sat, to accommodate the Camp Hill services. Nowt to do with cost cutting.

 

[andyjhatton]

That happened after Covid, along with 2 of the 6 per hour being chopped Mon-Sat, to accommodate the Camp Hill services. Nowt to do with cost cutting.

I travel regularly from Bromsgrove on a Sunday. The second hourly electric was dropped a few months ago. (Well not long after new year, IIRC)
I know because I showed up expecting it; only to find the next service was the Hereford diesel.

I also use the Thameslink service to/from home, which (via Dartford) is also being cut.

Avanti West Coast services are also, guess what, being cut.

I'm not happy that the services are being cut back. There's no schadenfreude here.
But the government has decided that there's no more money so services must be cut.

 

[NeakPed]

It's a brave strategy; Cotton.
GBR are cutting services.
Avanti instructed to cut off-peak services.
Bromsgrove has lost half its Sunday Cross City services.
Seemingly the movement is in a downward direction.

How many people might ultimately be shown a P45, rather than a pay rise.

It is nothing to do with a pay rise, despite what the foreign owned UK press may tell you.

 

[speedy1]

It is nothing to do with a pay rise, despite what the foreign owned UK press may tell you.

Why not??

 

[NeakPed]

Why not??

Because not all Industrial Action is about pay.

 

[Jan Mayen]

Why are the drivers going on strike?

 

[NeakPed]

Why are the drivers going on strike?

Are they ? This is a TSSA strike. Staff involved are Controllers, Train Crew Supervisors & Roster Clerks (and maybe others).

 

[Jan Mayen]

Are they ? This is a TSSA strike. Staff involved are Controllers, Train Crew Supervisors & Roster Clerks (and maybe others).

My mistake. Please let me rephrase. Why are TSSA members going on strike?

 

[NeakPed]

My mistake. Please let me rephrase. Why are TSSA members going on strike?

I believe that it is over parity with other grades of staff about enhanced rates for non-contractual rest day work/overtime worked.

 

[trundlewagon]

I travel regularly from Bromsgrove on a Sunday. The second hourly electric was dropped a few months ago.

It's been 1 an hour for the past 6 years. Overall, since covid, there's only been 3 X City services per hour on a Sunday - 1 Bromsgrove to New Street and 2 Redditch to Lichfield

 

[dk1]

It's a brave strategy; Cotton.
GBR are cutting services.
Avanti instructed to cut off-peak services.
Bromsgrove has lost half its Sunday Cross City services.
Seemingly the movement is in a downward direction.

How many people might ultimately be shown a P45, rather than a pay rise.

Nobody will be getting a P45.

 

[800002]

Nobody will be getting a P45.

Indeed.

How many people might ultimately be shown a P45, rather than a pay rise.

You just need to do a little homework of your own to understand the laws and regulations, as they currently stand.

Unless your intended reference was to folk unable to travel into work and do their job as a consequence of the industrial action as opposed to folk taking the industrial action being removed from tbe business they are taking action against.

 

[Russel]

Either way, it matters when they tell the employer, not when that employer tells us.

Legally it may not matter, but from a customer service point of view, it very much does matter.

 

[Horizon22]

Legally it may not matter, but from a customer service point of view, it very much does matter.

Of course but it is not officially “too late” as some have stated. WMR have probably taken some time to plan out what they can / can’t actually run with the resources they have.

 

[trainophile]

Bravo Trainsplit, credit back in my bank account within a couple of hours of me emailing them last night.

But isn't it ironic that they (LNR/WMR) are currently promoting their special offer deal (as detailed elsewhere), while failing to deliver a service for tickets already bought in good faith? Why would I take the chance in the current uncertainty?

 

[1D54]

But isn't it ironic that they (LNR/WMR) are currently promoting their special offer deal (as detailed elsewhere), while failing to deliver a service for tickets already bought in good faith? Why would I take the chance in the current uncertainty?

Yep, got an email from LNR earlier today saying my train next Saturday has been cancelled and i can get one two hours before or after but seeing as there is no time on the ticket it really makes no sense.. Refund was also offered.

 

[coppercapped]

Because not all Industrial Action is about pay.

I believe that it is over parity with other grades of staff about enhanced rates for non-contractual rest day work/overtime worked.

So ultimately it is about pay.

Welcome to the 1950s and the interminable squabbles between the unions about parity.

 

[spp]

3 trains on the trot from Liverpool to
Birmingham cancelled tonight, they may as well have already started!

Does this strike only affect West Miss/LNW trains? Any other TOC affected?

 

[dk1]

So ultimately it is about pay.

Welcome to the 1950s and the interminable squabbles between the unions about parity.

You’re the first one I’ve seen associate any industrial action to a different decade to the 70s

 

[coppercapped]

You’re the first one I’ve seen associate any industrial action to a different decade to the 70s

I lived through them…

… ‘I’m All Right Jack’ came out in 1959! (I know it’s nothing to do with railways, but the attitudes were the same).