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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
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| Strike action hits rail services | Strike action hits rail services |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Thousands of train passengers are having to find alternative ways of travelling across central England on Christmas Eve due to a 24-hour strike. | |
| The action by conductors on Central Trains means there are no services throughout the day. | 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. | 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 |
| About 400 trains were cancelled as 580 senior conductors went on strike, Central Trains said. | |
| Two thousand trains will be affected over the three days of planned strikes. | |
| The areas most affected are the East and West Midlands, although a number of Central Trains' services also run from Manchester to Norwich and Cleethorpes to Cardiff. | |
| 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. |
| You just can't go along as an employer and impose rosters RMT general secretary Bob Crow | |
| 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". |
| 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. |
| Managers 'staffing service' | |
| "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. | 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. |
| Midland Mainline is operating a normal Sunday service after staff accepted a pay offer and called off planned strikes on the same three days. |