First major strike for a century to happen at historic railways works site in Milton Keynes

More than 60 employees at Gemini Rail Services are protesting about how their complaints and grievances are being handled by the company.

They are currently involved in a longstanding grievance against Gemini over owed back pay that has seen them potentially thousands of pounds out of pocket, say Unite union.

Gemini repairs and maintains locomotives and passenger carriages for the train operating companies across all of the UK, ensuring they are in a safe condition.

It is based on part of the former Wolverton Railways Works, which was famous for building and repairing many of the nation’s trains for more than 170 years.

The Gemini strike comes almost exactly 100 years after up to 5,000 Wolverton Works workers staged a spectacular sit-in during the autumn of 1925, a year before the national General Strike.

The dispute was caused by the appointment of someone in a responsible position who the workers in the finishing shop objected to. They claimed he had a previous history of trying to introduce faster methods of working. The finishers downed tools’and later in the day, all the other workers followed suit.

Just over a week later, the matter was resolved and the The Wolverton Express newspaper reported on November 6 2025: “With the call of the Railway Carriage Works’ whistle at 7.55 on Tuesday morning came an end to the dispute...”

The report adds: “A most noticeable feature of the whole dispute has been the very orderly conduct of the workmen, a fact that has been commented on by all sides, and one to the credit of the town.”

Today Unite claims Gemini is refusing to allow workers to be represented by their Unite workplace rep.They say strikes are taking place at the Milton Keynes depot from July 30 to August 3 and are likely to cause “significant disruption” for the company and their relationships with the train operating companies.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Gemini need to stop playing games and denying workers basic union rights...Unite will be fully supporting its members in all industrial action they take to make Gemini see sense."