Peter Lazenby
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REBELLION is spreading across the rail industry as hundreds more workers are voting for strike action against wage freezes and job cuts.
Members of clerical and professional staff union TSSA are set to vote on action at three privateer operators in opposition to compulsory redundancies and in support of a cost-of-living pay increase.
TSSA’s decision to ballot at Cross Country, East Midlands Railway and West Midlands increases the likelihood of a summer of travel chaos.
Fifty thousand members of the largest rail union, RMT, are due to walk out on June 21, 23 and 25.
TSSA members at Avanti West Coast are already voting on strike action.
The union said that strikes could hit the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham which open on July 28.
TSSA wants a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies in 2022, no unagreed changes to terms and conditions and a pay increase reflecting the rising cost of living.
It said that its members have not had a pay rise since 2019.
TSSA general secretary Manuel Cortes warned that “widespread rail disruption is on the cards.
“Our members at Cross Country, East Midlands Railway and West Midlands Trains deserve a pay rise and job security,” he said.
“Rail workers are seeking basic fair treatment: not to be sacked from their jobs, a fair pay rise in the face of a cost-of-living crisis and no race to the bottom on terms and conditions.
“Unless these demands are met, we could be seeing a summer of discontent across our railways in the run-up to the Commonwealth Games which take place in Birmingham — the centre of many of these train operators’ services.
“Make no mistake, we are preparing for all options, including co-ordinated strike action which would bring trains to a halt.”
Strike action is already hitting London Underground in disputes involving RMT and general union Unite.
Members of train drivers’ union Aslef working at Hull Trains, Greater Anglia and the Croydon Tramlink will stage a series of walkouts between June 23 and July 14.
Schools minister Robin Walker said that unions should be “coming back to the negotiating table” with the government instead of striking.
