Passengers on CrossCountry trains are being urged to complete their Christmas journeys on Thursday, ahead of a strike by members of the RMT union on 24 December.
The dispute is a widely known one: the perform of guards.
The RMT’s regular secretary, Mick Lynch, talked about: “There was a scientific attempt by CrossCountry to undermine the perform of the senior conductors and follow managers by drafting in several staff to do their jobs.
“CrossCountry wish to know that they already have expert and competent guards which may be on the market and capable of work.
“They need to stop with their underhand measures and makes an try to teach up quite a few completely different workers to undertake the perform of the guard. This strike could very properly be resolved if people had been merely allowed to easily get on with their very personal job and the company stopped threatening the long-term futures of our members and compromising safety as a consequence.
“Our members have made it clear that they will not put up with this assault and that is the explanation they’re taking movement over Christmas and New 12 months.”
CrossCountry talked about: “We’ll solely have the power to run a very restricted timetable, with the cancellation of numerous our suppliers.
“We’re advising prospects to alter their plans the place doable and to stay away from journey on each Friday 24 December or Friday 31 December.
“Within the occasion you journey on Friday, then you may use your ticket on any follow. Seat reservations will not apply on Friday – please take any on the market seat throughout the class confirmed in your ticket.
“Your ticket might also be accepted with completely different operators on Friday.”
CrossCountry intends to run a curtailed service between Edinburgh and Plymouth, Manchester Piccadilly and Bournemouth and Birmingham New Highway and Leicester.
Hyperlinks to Aberdeen, Glasgow Central, Nottingham, Cardiff, Paignton and Stansted airport are lined by completely different operators – except for between Leicester and Peterborough, on which a bus different will run.
Tickets bought for Christmas Eve will doubtless be professional on Wednesday 22 or Thursday 23 December, with out having to fluctuate them.
An identical pattern is anticipated to make use of throughout the lead-up to 31 December.
Talks are understood to be persevering with between the two sides to aim to avert the stoppages.
