Sector ‘collateral damage’ of rail strikes

22-Sep-2023 - Last updated on 22-Sep-2023 at 08:43 GMT

Industry impact: the continued rail strikes are resulting in billions of pounds worth of lost sales for the sector, according to UKHospitality (image: Getty/Teamjackson)

There have been renewed calls for resolution amid the ongoing rail strikes as hospitality continues to lose sales due to the industrial action.

Train drivers union Aslef and Tube workers union RMT announced more industrial action, meaning further disruption to the railways.

The latest strikes will mean 16 train operating companies will cancel all services alongside an overtime ban on separate days will cause more disorder.

Aslef union members will hold strikes on Saturday 30 September while on Wednesday 4 October, there will be a train and Tube strike, with a Tube strike taking place on Friday 6 October.

Collateral damage

Moreover, members will stage an overtime ban across the rail network on Friday 29 September and from Monday 2 October to Friday 6 October.

Trade body UKHospitality (UKH) estimated the sector has already lost £3.5bn due to the continued strikes and more industrial action planned for later this month and next.

UKH chief executive Kate Nicholls said: “As we have seen over the past year, hospitality businesses and their staff continue to suffer as collateral damage as a result of ongoing rail strikes.

“The elephant in the room is the complete lack of progress made in recent months by the negotiating parties and it’s time everyone involved gets back round the table to reach a resolution that sees the end to rail strikes."

Resolution needed

She added: “While the Transport Committee is absolutely right to point out that sectors acutely affected by rail strikes, like hospitality, are properly considered and protected by future legislation, the real priority needs to be reaching a resolution to the current dispute.

“This is especially important for hospitality, as we approach the busy Christmas period, the revenues of which are often crucial to help venues through the fallow period of January to March.

“Without an urgent end to this dispute, the £3.5bn that hospitality has lost in sales will only continue to grow and that is not good for the thousands of hospitality businesses and the millions of people they employ.”

Strikes held over the bank holiday weekend in August were labelled as a “dark cloud” for the sector.