14.12.12
CrossCountry Trains staff strike announced
Train staff are to strike on CrossCountry Trains next Friday, the RMT rail union has announced.
Train managers, senior conductors and on-board catering staff voted ‘yes’ for strike action and for action short of a strike on Friday 21 December over a number of disputes, but the operator has so far not urged passengers to alter their journey plans.
The RMT has identified a number of issues with CrossCountry Trains, including the use of the Unsatisfactory Performance Procedure to ‘intimidate’ members, continued use of league tables, new rosters at Manchester Piccadilly, abuse of the Managing for Attendance procedures, train managers not afforded sufficient training on technology changes, failure to offer a satisfactory payment recognising changes to walking times and the disciplining of train managers for non-attendance of duty on a Sunday.
RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: “As a result of the total collapse of industrial relations across a whole raft of matters RMT we are in dispute with Cross Country and the union has had no option but to ballot members for action and with a mandate secured we are pushing on with a 24 hour strike. We will continue to apply pressure on the company until all of these issues are resolved to our satisfaction.
“RMT will not sit back while procedures are used to harass and dismiss members, important changes are imposed rather than negotiated and technological and operational changes are not recognised and rewarded.
“RMT remains available for talks and we hope that management will see sense and take the necessary steps to resolve this dispute.”
CrossCountry Trains said: “Their announcement is regrettable as discussions to resolve the issues raised by the union are ongoing and a meeting is already planned for Tuesday 18 December, where we are confident of a resolution.
“We would like to assure our customers we are preparing plans that, in the event a strike takes place, will ensure their journeys can still be completed. We will provide full details here on Tuesday if there are any changes to services on 21 December.
“Our advice at this time is for customers not to change their journey plans for 21 December.”
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