Christmas Rail Travel Faces Major Disruption as Staff Walk Out
Rail passengers across Britain are bracing for severe disruption in the crucial run-up to Christmas after a trade union announced a series of strikes set to cripple services on four consecutive Saturdays. The industrial action involves workers at rail operator CrossCountry, who are walking out in a bitter dispute over pay and staffing levels.
Strike Dates and Core Issues
The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) has confirmed that its members will stage walkouts on December 6, 13, 20, and 27. This coordinated action comes after the union accused CrossCountry of failing to address long-running grievances. According to the RMT, core issues concerning unfair pay outcomes and unresolved staffing shortages remain unaddressed, leaving workers with no alternative but to strike.
RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey strongly criticised the company's approach. He stated that CrossCountry had not dealt with the fundamental problems and had even returned with a proposal that was inferior to previous offers. Dempsey emphasised that his members are facing broken commitments from the employer and are being treated without the fairness and respect they deserve.
Widespread Impact on Passengers and Services
The timing of these strikes is set to cause maximum misery for thousands of people. The affected Saturdays are some of the busiest shopping and travel days in the festive calendar, impacting shoppers and families attempting to visit relatives for the holidays.
CrossCountry operates an extensive 775-mile route network stretching from Aberdeen in Scotland to Penzance in Cornwall. It is important to note that the direct service between these two endpoints was axed in May of this year, after running for 104 years. The operator, whose parent company is Arriva UK Trains, is also notable as it is among the final seven train operating companies scheduled to be nationalised by the Government in October 2027.
With the union demanding a serious offer that meets previous commitments, and the company yet to publicly resolve the dispute, passengers are advised to prepare for significant travel upheaval during the festive season.
