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| Strike action hits rail services | Strike action hits rail services |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Thousands of train passengers are having to find alternative ways of travelling across the Midlands on Christmas Eve due to a 24-hour strike. | Thousands of train passengers are having to find alternative ways of travelling across the Midlands on Christmas Eve due to a 24-hour strike. |
| The action by conductors on Central Trains means there are no services throughout the day. | |
| But the company said it hoped to provide a reduced service on two other days of industrial action - New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. | |
| The RMT union said the dispute was over holiday pay and working arrangements. | The RMT union said the dispute was over holiday pay and working arrangements. |
| Main operator | Main operator |
| Earlier in the week, talks to try to stop the three days of strikes broke down when the RMT rejected an increased pay offer. | Earlier in the week, talks to try to stop the three days of strikes broke down when the RMT rejected an increased pay offer. |
| The company said it could not offer any more than the £236 it had already put forward to work on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve. | The company said it could not offer any more than the £236 it had already put forward to work on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve. |
| Central Trains' conductors said they were striking over the "imposition of centralised rostering and Christmas and New Year pay arrangements". | Central Trains' conductors said they were striking over the "imposition of centralised rostering and Christmas and New Year pay arrangements". |
| The firm is the main operator in the West Midlands and services stretch to Norwich, Liverpool, Cardiff and Doncaster. | The firm is the main operator in the West Midlands and services stretch to Norwich, Liverpool, Cardiff and Doncaster. |
| You just can't go along as an employer and impose rosters RMT general secretary Bob Crow | You just can't go along as an employer and impose rosters RMT general secretary Bob Crow |
| Central Trains' spokeswoman Rachel Webster said the company had tried hard to stave off industrial action. | Central Trains' spokeswoman Rachel Webster said the company had tried hard to stave off industrial action. |
| She said it was too late to implement alternative arrangements, such as bus services, because the RMT only confirmed the strike would go ahead late on Friday afternoon. | She said it was too late to implement alternative arrangements, such as bus services, because the RMT only confirmed the strike would go ahead late on Friday afternoon. |
| "On New Year's Eve and New Year's Day we are looking at how many services we may be able to run," she said. | "On New Year's Eve and New Year's Day we are looking at how many services we may be able to run," she said. |
| "It depends on how many senior conductors want to work. We've had indications that some have been asking if they can come to work. | "It depends on how many senior conductors want to work. We've had indications that some have been asking if they can come to work. |
| "Predominantly managers, who were conductors, will be staffing the service." | "Predominantly managers, who were conductors, will be staffing the service." |
| She added that details of the service on those two days would be published on 27 or 28 December. | |
| RMT general secretary Bob Crow has apologised to passengers for the disruption caused, but said the action was being taken not just because of Christmas payments but over the implementation of rosters. | RMT general secretary Bob Crow has apologised to passengers for the disruption caused, but said the action was being taken not just because of Christmas payments but over the implementation of rosters. |
| "The reality is that the money's not satisfactory to our members, and you just can't go along as an employer and impose rosters," he said. | "The reality is that the money's not satisfactory to our members, and you just can't go along as an employer and impose rosters," he said. |