Rail travellers facing chaos after workers vote to strike

RAIL passengers are preparing for travel misery after hundreds of train workers voted to strike over pay.

Staff on the Virgin Trains West Coast route – which runs from Glasgow to London Euston – voted nine to one to take the industrial action yesterday.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union said the feud involves almost 1,800 train managers, on-board catering staff, station and clerical employees.

It is seeking a ‘suitable and equal’ pay offer in line with that of drivers.

The RMT said Virgin agreed a deal to buy out drivers’ claims for a one-hour reduction in the working week without loss of pay by adding £500 to their pensionable salary.

Members of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association at Virgin are being balloted for strikes in the same dispute, with that result due on November 8.

The union will co-ordinate any industrial action with the RMT, sparking fears that the whole route will be closed.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: ‘Our members have voted overwhelmingly for action in this ballot, which is all about workplace equality and workplace justice.

‘All our members are demanding is a suitable and equal offer to that given to drivers to buy out their claim for a reduction in the base working week.

‘The inequality and underhanded approach of Virgin will be fought tooth and nail. We will not accept our members being dealt with less favourably than others.’

Virgin Trains said: ‘We are disappointed by the result of the RMT’s ballot but can reassure customers that we will be able to run the majority of services during any industrial action.

‘We offered a 3. per cent annual pay increase at a time when the average increase across public and private sector employees is around per cent.’

RMT’s executive will decide on the next steps for the proposed action.

But rail travellers are already facing misery over strikes this weekend.

Long-distance rail service CrossCountry will not run trains north of the Border if industrial action goes ahead on Sunday. Their routes run from Berwick to Edinburgh, where the line splits to run west through Motherwell to Glasgow or north through Kirkcaldy and Dundee to Aberdeen.

A firm spokesman said: ‘We remain hopeful that the matter can be resolved without the need for a strike.’