Posted 28th July 2014 | 8 Comments

Strike disrupts East Midlands Trains

A STRIKE by depot staff at Derby, Nottingham and Leeds is disrupting East Midlands Trains services.

The walkout, which involves about 80 members of UNITE, concerns a 2.75 per cent pay offer which the union has condemned as paltry', although EMT has defended its offer as 'very reasonable and fair'.

More than a dozen services were reported cancelled yesterday, and eight are not running today, including a few on the London route.

Most routes have altered timetables, and EMT warned that some of the trains which do run may be shorter than usual.

UNITE regional officer Mick Millichamp said: "Our members have worked hard for this company, adapting to the many changes asked of them. However, they were very disappointed with the current paltry pay offer, now withdrawn, at a time when household bills are going through the roof."

East Midlands Trains has now withdrawn the offer. The company said it had made a 'very reasonable' offer, and added: "We are therefore disappointed that Unite has chosen to take this action, clearly attempting to cause disruption for our customers."

The action is due to continue until Thursday.

Reader Comments:

Views expressed in submitted comments are that of the author, and not necessarily shared by Railnews.

  • Philip Russell, Carlisle

    This problem is largely the industry's own fault , they have given their drivers such generous pay deals in the last few years, so now other workers who are also vital in the day to day running of our railways feel they deserve their cut too

  • Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex

    Seems to be a lot of commentators on here who either like being walked all over or have never gone without !

    Good luck to the rail unions shame others are not as good !

  • Graham Collett, York

    East Midlands Trains have been suffering strikes for many months - evry so often they flare up again. No other rail operators seems to be in this position. This is, I understand, because of a long-running dispute with the unions, due to different working arrangements than apply with other companies. It is time the issue was dealt with once and for all so that potential passengers are not deterred and those who have to travel are not inconvenienced. Come on EMT - sort this out!

  • Lutz, London

    It really is time that strikes were banned for those working in the service sectors; they are now out of context with present day working regulations and conditions, and it highly unprefessional of those concerned to hold the public to ransom over their outlandish claims.

  • David, Newcastle

    That may be the case David, but if you had the same conditions working on the railway you feel the same!

  • Tim, Devon

    What greedy fat cats run these Unions? Rejecting a 2.75% pay increase would be unthinkable for most people. It's about time the law was changed to remove all rights to strike. If people don't show up for work they should be subject to normal disciplinary procedures, whether it's one person on his own or half the work force.

  • Tony Pearce, Reading

    2.75% for any worker today is well above average, and with inflation at around 1.9% is generous. But the railway industry sticks out as a Dinosaur Industry with strikes called every week or so, whether or not they actually happen. Maybe not this year or next but eventually everything goes pear-shaped. I wonder for example what will happen when the first case of the Ebola Virus is found in the UK. Public Transport may well be completely shunned over-night.

  • David, Norwich

    Many people haven't had a pay rise for years consider yourselves lucky to get offered 2.75%.