Hundreds of thousands of passengers across Britain are facing severe travel disruption this festive season as rail workers announce a series of strikes set to cripple CrossCountry train services.
Strike Dates and Reasons
Members of the RMT union employed by CrossCountry Trains will stage walkouts on every Saturday in December: the 6th, 13th, 20th, and 27th. This industrial action stems from an ongoing dispute concerning pay and staffing levels.
The union has accused the train operator of failing to honour previous agreements related to overtime, staff resourcing, and wage discrepancies. The situation escalated after union representatives deemed the company's latest proposal to be inferior to earlier offers.
Impact on Festive Travel
The coordinated strikes are expected to lead to the cancellation of most or all CrossCountry services on the affected days. This will impact a vast number of travellers across England, Wales, and Scotland.
The disruption will particularly affect Christmas shoppers and football fans travelling on what are typically some of the busiest weekends before Christmas. The strike on December 27th will also disrupt post-Christmas travel and sales shopping.
Statements from Both Sides
RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey stated that the decision to strike was not taken lightly. He emphasised that CrossCountry's failure to address unresolved staffing shortages and unfair pay left union members with no alternative.
In response, Shiona Rolfe, Managing Director at CrossCountry, expressed her disappointment. She stated that the company believes it has presented a fair offer and remains prepared to continue negotiations with the RMT to avert disruption during the critical festive period.
With no immediate resolution in sight, passengers are urged to check their travel plans well in advance and seek alternative arrangements for the four Saturdays in December.
