TRAIN drivers will walk out for two days of strike action on Saturday, October 1, and Wednesday, October 5, in a dispute over pay.

ASLEF initially called a strike for Thursday, September 15, but immediately postponed that day of action, as a mark of respect after the Queen died on Thursday, September 8.

The union, which represents 96% of drivers at Northern, TransPennine Express and ten other train operating companies (TOCs), also made no public announcement until after the state funeral for Elizabeth II on Monday.

But anti-union laws mean ASLEF has to give the companies 14 days’ notice, so TOCs were notified last Friday.

Mick Whelan, ASLEF’s general secretary, said: "We would rather not be in this position. We don’t want to go on strike – withdrawing labour is always a last resort – but the train companies forced our hand.

"They are telling train drivers to take a real terms pay cut. With inflation now running at 12.3% – and set to go higher – these companies are saying drivers should be prepared to work just as hard, for just as long, but for considerably less.

"The companies with whom we are in dispute have not offered us a penny. It is outrageous they expect us to put up with a real terms pay cut for a third year in a row. That’s why we're going on strike."