Christmas Rail Strikes to Be Reinstated After New Negotiations with Avanti

Christmas Rail Strikes Suspended as Union Mulls New Avanti Deal

The proposed strike by train managers at Avanti West Coast has been suspended due to the submission of a revised offer by the company in a dispute over rest day working. The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) had planned to take action on December 22, 23, and 29, which would have caused significant disruption to rail services running between London, Birmingham, and Edinburgh.

Revised Offer and Next Steps

The RMT has announced that the strike will be suspended while train managers vote on the revised offer in a referendum, which concludes on December 17. The union stated that the offer includes “revised and enhanced” rest day working payments and discussions on a new technology agreement.

“We remain in dispute with Avanti as our members vote on the revised offer,” said the RMT.

Impact on Passengers

The rail minister, Peter Hendy, warned that passengers visiting family and friends over Christmas could have their journeys disrupted by crew shortages, especially on parts of the railway network subject to engineering works. He also stated that the government was concerned about staffing at train operators over the festive period.

These shortages are likely to be exacerbated by the fact that inevitable closures close parts of the railway and put more pressure on others, Lord Hendy told parliament’s transport select committee.

Christmas Rail Disruptions

The UK rail network is completely closed each year on Christmas Day, while only a limited service operates on Boxing Day. Some routes are closed for longer over the festive period, as Network Rail carries out engineering work.

The suspension of the strike means that passengers can breathe a sigh of relief, but it remains to be seen whether the revised offer will meet the union’s demands and prevent further disruption in the future.