RTUC support RMT & TSSA pickets at Reading and Oxford

RMT picket line, Reading Station, 18 August

On 18 and 20 August 2022, the RMT and TSSA took coordinated strike action, with Reading Trades Union Council showing support at Oxford and Reading stations and Reading Maintenance Depot.

Oxford Station picket line - TSSA & RMT plus solidarity, 20 August

The national action involved staff at manifold train operating companies, including Chiltern, Crosscountry, Great Western and South Western in Oxford and Reading, as well as Network Rail.

Suzanne Quainton addresses the Oxford Station rally, 20 August

Reading pickets included Colin Masters (RMT) from RTUC.

Oxford Station picket line rally, 20 August

In Oxford, RTUC delegates, John Partington (TSSA) and Suzanne Quainton (RMT) were active participants in the Oxford & District Trades Union Council solidarity rally on 20 August. The rally took place from 11:00 and 13:00 and included speakers from Chipping Norton Labour Party, the CWU, NASUWT, Oxford & District Labour Party, Oxford & District Trades Union Council, the RMT, TSSA and Unite and included a musical interlude led by the Didcot Red Kites.

RTUC supports ASLEF strike action in Reading and Oxford

ASLEF picket line at Reading Station, 30 July

On 30 July and 13 August 2022, Reading Trades Union Council, represented by Neil Adams (Unite), John Gillman (Unite), Ali McNamara (NEU), Ray Parkes (Unite Community), John Partington (TSSA), Suzanne Quainton (RMT) and Chris Reilly (RMT), attended the ASLEF picket lines at Reading and Oxford Railway Stations to show their support for the striking train drivers.

The train drivers' dispute is with Arriva Rail London, Chiltern Railways, Greater Anglia, Great Western, Hull Trains, LNER, Southeastern and West Midlands Trains, with the focus on pay. The drivers have not had a pay increase since 2019 and many suffered furloughed pay reductions during the COVID19 pandemic. In recent years, the train operators have introduced modernisation programmes which have increased driver productivity - but the drivers have seen no financial reward for these improvements.

NEU solidarity with the ASLEF strikers, 30 July

The door is open for fresh talks between the trade union and the employers.

RTUC's John Partington (4th left, TSSA) and Suzanne
Quainton (3rd right, RMT) show solidarity, 30 July

John Partington (left) supports the Oxford & District TUC banner, 13 August

Solidarity with the CWU strike at BT Openreach!

Neil Adams (Unite) of the Reading Trades Union Council joined the CWU picket line at BT Openreach in Bracknell on 1 August 2022 where engineers and call centre workers walked out between 08:00 and 12:00 - the second day of strike action in the past week.

Across the country, 400 pickets were established in an action which is seeking a pay increase to counter the cost of inflation whilst also sharing the profits of BT Group following the announcement of a further £400m profit in the first quarter, on top of the £1.3bn achieved in the last financial year.