Strikes hit Cross Country trains as people travel home for Christmas
The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) announced that strike action will go on today on Cross Country trains, creating massive disruption for thousands of travellers on the way to see their families for Christmas.
Citing an assault on the “safety critical role of senior conductors and train managers,” Cross Country workers were instructed to start striking from 00.01 this morning, with action expected to go on until the end of the day.
“RMT is angry and disappointed that an attempt to reach a negotiated settlement in talks yesterday was kicked into touch by Cross Country. As a result the action goes ahead as planned,” said RMT’s general secretary Mick Lynch.
“This dispute is about a systematic attempt by Cross Country to undermine the role of the senior conductors and train managers by drafting in other staff to do their jobs.”
Anticipating the strike, Cross Country warned customers of potential disruption.
“Due to planned strike action by the members of the RMT union, we will only be able to run a very limited timetable on this Friday, with the cancellation of many of our service,” Cross Rail said in a Facebook post on 22 December.
“We’re extremely sorry for the disruption and the late notice of these alterations.”