TRAIN managers on Virgin West Coast are set to stage a 24-hour strike in a dispute over the dismissal of a colleague.

Members of the RMT will walk out on November 19, following weeks of banning overtime.

The union called the “shocking treatment and dismissal of a colleague” a “straightforward and vicious case of victimisation.”

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “I urge all Virgin West Coast members to continue their magnificent solidarity and support for our colleague who has been treated so disgracefully.

“We cannot allow this appalling situation to continue and our member must be reinstated.

“It is time for the company to stop their aggressive and bullying tactics and sit down with us and right this wrong which has angered staff across the West Coast franchise.”

The union argued that management had continued to resist all efforts to try to resolve the matter and had resisted union requests to for talks with its train manager company council reps.

A Virgin Trains spokesman said: “This strike action is completely unjustified and was only backed by a minority of train managers. We have robust contingencies in place and plan to run the majority of our trains.

“This means RMT members will be losing pay for no reason, and despite not supporting strike action.

“The incident which led to a train manager being dismissed for gross misconduct was widely reported on social media and involved a disabled customer who was prevented from boarding one of our trains.

“We take our responsibilities to disabled passengers extremely seriously and will not hesitate to act if we feel it is necessary.”