17 August 2023
RMT Press Office:
Workers on CrossCountry trains will take four consecutive Saturday strikes in a dispute over working conditions.
Management proposals for staff in Edinburgh would see members becoming poorer, after CrossCountry withdrew an earlier financial offer.
There is also no commitment to ensure that members currently with flexible working arrangements will continue to keep their existing agreements in their entirety.
CrossCountry informed the RMT that all despatch duties will cease, and that the despatch element of our members current role 'does not meet their business model'. RMT believes this is the thin end of the wedge.
Attempts to resolve the issue through dialogue have so far failed and the union has been appalled at the attitude displayed by management who have focused on circulating propaganda to staff attempting to divide the workforce rather than come to a settlement.
Ahead of the strike, RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “CrossCountry have not been serious in trying to resolve this dispute and have put their energies into attempting to discredit their own staff.
”We will not accept attacks on our members jobs, conditions or allow them to be made poorer.
“Our four days strike action shows how serious our members at CrossCountry view these attacks.
“In our union, if you attack one member of staff, you are attacking the whole workforce and that is unacceptable.”
END
Notes:
Strike dates are as follows:
0001 Hours and 2359 Hours on Saturday 19th August 2023
0001 Hours and 2359 Hours on Saturday 26th August 2023
0001 Hours and 2359 Hours on Saturday 2nd September 2023
0001 Hours and 2359 Hours on Saturday 9th September 2023
Unity House
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