The rail union RMT has confirmed a programme of three 24-hour strikes on Virgin Trains East Coast, including one on Bank Holiday Monday, 29 August.
Members will walk out from 03:00 BST on 19, 26 and 29 August for 24-hours and take action short of a strike by refusing to book any overtime for 48 hours from 27 August, in a row over cuts, work conditions and safety.
The news follows a ballot of members, which secured an 84% majority in favour of strikes. The union claims that nearly 200 jobs across the franchise are threatened by cuts, and made accusations that the proposed staffing changes came about because the franchise was losing money.
RMT has called for assurances on six main points:
- Redeployment and protection agreements will be adhered to at all times.
- There will be no compulsory redundancies.
- A safety-critical guard will be present on every train.
- Confirmation of establishment staffing numbers.
- TUPE to be adhered to
- Rates of pay to be protected
Virgin Trains has claims to have given assurances on each point raised by the union at the start of the dispute, including ruling out any compulsory redundancies as a result of the changes.
David Horne, managing director for Virgin Trains on the east coast said: ‘We have worked hard to ensure there are comprehensive contingency plans in place and I want to reassure our customers that our timetable will be unaffected during these walk-outs, as well as during any subsequent strikes by the RMT.
‘The changes we are making are part of the customer-centric revolution we have planned for the east coast. With our guarantees that there will be no compulsory redundancies, no impact on safety and a full timetable in place during the walk-outs, these strikes will cost RMT members pay for no reason, and we urge the union to rejoin us around the negotiating table.’
RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: 'RMT will not sit back while nearly 200 members' jobs are under threat and while conditions and safety are put at risk by a franchise which is clearly in financial trouble.'
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