Virgin Trains East Coast workers to strike for 48-hours beginning 28 April

 

Workers on Virgin Trains East Coast are going to hold a two-day strike from 28 April in a row over role of guards and jobs, the RMT union has said.

 

RMT said it has sought an “explicit clarification on the company’s position on the retention of the role of the guard, in the form of seeking a specific assurance from the employer that the new role of train manager will retain the safety critical roles and training currently held by train guards”.

 

“It is simply appalling that Virgin East Coast have refused to give the most basic assurances on the safety-critical role of the guard on their trains continuing into the future,” said RMT general secretary Mick Cash.

 

“Instead they have sought to fob us off with meaningless statements that are frankly an insult to the intelligence of our members who are charged with maintaining safety on-board these inter-city trains.” Cash added: “On top of that chaotic, operational changes have been bulldozed through and there is now an additional threat to stations and travel centre staff that leaves our members on a knife-edge. “This contemptuous attitude has unleashed a tidal-wave of anger at the grass roots and the action we have agreed to put on is simply a reflection of the disgust and frustration at months of ducking and diving by Virgin/Stagecoach. The action is on and the union remains available for meaningful and genuine talks.”