UK Rail Strikes Suspended: Avanti West Coast Walkouts Halted During Christmas Period

Members at Avanti West Coast have called off planned strikes on December 22, 23, and 29, as train managers also agreed not to go on strike after the union announced the dates, the RMT said on Friday. The strike by some 300 train managers was due to halt rail services between London and Edinburgh at one of the most popular times to travel. It had resisted the train company’s proposals on “rest day working arrangements” on grounds of unfair treatment as compared to senior managers.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch accused the current working situation, saying that train managers are now exploited. Avanti West Coast said it was disheartened by the union’s refusal to accept what it deemed to be a fair proposal. However, consumers can also expect quite substantial disruption as the company states that the new timetable for December 22 and 23 will be announced not earlier than December 14.

They are based on current industrial relations in the rail sector due to new pay agreements and requests for shift. The RMT still demands noting that it would wish to see the management take its complaints about working conditions seriously.

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