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Train managers at Avanti West Coast will strike over the Christmas period in a dispute over rest day working arrangements.
The RMT union walkout, on 22, 23 and 29 December, will add to an already disrupted and congested period on West Coast Main Line services.
Around 300 managers are expected to join the walkout which comes after managers expressed unhappiness at the arrangements that see them asked to work on their days off due to ongoing staff shortages.
Read more: Preston man to deliver gifts to children in hospital this Christmas
A revised timetable for the affected days is expected by 14 December.
Mick Lynch, RMT General Secretary, said: “Avanti West Coast’s proposals have been decisively rejected by our Train Managers, sending a clear message to management that the current arrangements are unacceptable.
“Train Managers are being treated unfairly compared to senior managers, who receive significant payments for covering these roles.
“Our members have had enough, and this strike action demonstrates their determination to win a fair deal.
“It’s time for Avanti to put forward serious proposals that reflect the vital contribution of our Train Managers to the railway.
“We remain ready to reach a negotiated settlement and we urge management to show they are serious about resolving this dispute.”
A spokesperson for Avanti West Coast said: “We are disappointed the RMT have voted to decline the very reasonable offer made to them to resolve the rest day working dispute and prevent inconvenience to those many people who will be travelling on the West Coast Main Line over this time. We will continue to work with the RMT to resolve the dispute.”
The strike action will add to disrupted period on the West Coast Main Line with engineering work affecting services on 27, 28, 30, 31 December and 1 and 2 January.
There are no trains on 25 or 26 December and an early end to services on 24 December.
The bulk of the work will be focused on the Crewe area with major resignalling work taking place.
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