West Coast Mainline cleaners to strike over victimisation

A member of the cleaning team , working for contractors Voith,  had been charged with the theft of a chocolate bar. Following the conclusion of the disciplinary procedure it was found that there was no evidence to back the charges and the RMT member was cleared and was free to return to work.

However, West Coast’s maintenance contractors Alstom have refused the member of the Voith cleaning team access to the company premises despite his exoneration, ignoring all the principles of justice and forcing the union to take strike action to overturn a shocking case of victimisation

As a result, Voith West Coast members are instructed to take strike action by not booking on for any turns of duty between 19:00 on Sunday 23rd February 2014 and 18:59 on Monday 24th February 2014.

General Secretary Bob Crow said:

“This really is the most shocking case of victimisation of  a member of the West Coast Main Line team that you could imagine.

“A cleaner is disciplined, cleared and yet is still banned from the premises by a company that don’t even employ him and who have decided that his face doesn’t fit.

“The fact that this is happening on Sir Richard Branson’s prestige inter-city route up the West Coast should leave everyone involved hanging their heads in shame. The ban from the workplace on this wholly innocent member of staff should be lifted immediately and he should be allowed to get on with his job.

“RMT remains available for talks to end this wholly avoidable dispute.”


ENDS