24 December 2018
RMT Press Office:
Rail workers in Edinburgh striking today for workplace dignity and justice
RMT Rail Gourmet members based at the Edinburgh Depot are taking strike action today - Monday 24th December - in a fight for workplace justice following a comprehensive breakdown in industrial relations. The staff work on the inter-city LNER contract.
The dispute centres around a number of concerns, namely:
• Bullying and Harassment of Staff
• Abuse of the Disciplinary Procedures
• Non Payment of Additional Duties
It is the third day of strike action in the on-going dispute .
RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:
"The fact that low paid rail workers are being forced to strike on Christmas Eve for basic dignity and respect in the workplace is a scandal and Rail Gourmet should be hanging their heads in shame.
“This is a fight for workplace justice involving a crucial group of staff servicing the catering functions on LNER trains and they deserve to be treated fairly just like any other group of transport workers.
“RMT will not stand back while bullying, abuse of procedures and non-payment for additional duties is rife. Our members have voted overwhelmingly for action in an earlier ballot and have shown rock solid support for this fight and it is now down to Rail Gourmet to take this dispute seriously and start talking about a settlement that puts fair treatment in the workplace at the top of the agenda.
"It is clear that the only way we can get management to address these issues immediately is by taking further strike action. ”
Ends.
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