Festive Rail Travel Hit by Series of Strikes
Passengers using key Birmingham stations are bracing for significant disruption this festive season, as a series of rail strikes has been confirmed. Members of the RMT union working for CrossCountry will walk out on four consecutive Saturdays in December.
Strike Dates and Disputed Issues
The industrial action is scheduled for December 6, 13, 20, and 27. This will impact services at Birmingham New Street, Birmingham International, and Wolverhampton stations during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
The union has stated the strikes are a result of CrossCountry's "failure to resolve long-running issues". The core disputes centre on pay, staffing shortages, and previously agreed commitments concerning overtime payments and wage discrepancies for different staff grades.
Breakdown in Negotiations
RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey expressed the union's frustration, stating: "CrossCountry has not dealt with the core issues in this dispute and has come back with a proposal that is worse than what was already on the table." He added that after months of trying to reach a settlement, "no credible progress" has been made, leaving members with no alternative but to strike.
This announcement follows a suspended strike that was planned for Saturday, November 1, which was called off in the hope of a breakthrough.
Rail Operator's Response
In response, CrossCountry's Managing Director, Shiona Rolfe, said the company was "disappointed for our customers". She emphasised that the company has "worked hard to make a fair and reasonable offer" and believes "meaningful progress" has been made in talks.
Ms Rolfe confirmed that CrossCountry's priority remains reaching an agreement to avoid Christmas disruption and that they are ready to continue negotiations at any time.
Passengers planning travel to and from the West Midlands on these December Saturdays are strongly advised to check their journey details before setting out.
