Conductors begin 48-hour strike

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/7983440.stm

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Train conductors on London Midland services have begun a 48-hour walkout in a row over Sunday working.

The strike, from 0001 BST, is by the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) which says its members are being forced to work on Sundays.

London Midland, which runs services between Northampton and London Euston, said the industrial action was "completely unnecessary".

But it insisted it planned to run about 80% of its services despite the strike.

'Rock-solid strikes'

RMT members at Bletchley, Northampton and Watford depots claim that London Midland has forced managers to cover for conductors on Sundays.

RMT Leader Bob Crow said: "The two rock-solid strikes that our members have already held should tell the company everything it needs to know about their determination to see justice done on the principle that they should not be forced to work on Sundays."

London Midland previously rejected the union's claim that it was bullying managers.

The RMT accused the company of refusing to honour long-standing agreements that former Silverlink staff could opt out of working on Sundays, but London Midland maintains it did not breach agreement with workers.