Staff working on the Carlisle Support Services contract for Northern, which provides revenue protection and station gateline staff, are striking today.

The RMT said there had been nine months of negotiations without a pay offer.

From tomorrow Carlisle employees will cease to scan tickets or charge batteries in company equipment at their homes until further notice.

RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said: ’Our members do vital frontline work keeping stations safe and services running and they deserve respect and a fair pay rise.

‘Their strike action on 2 September will send a clear message to Carlisle Support Services that it is time to come back with a serious offer and ultimately take these workers back in house, directly employed by Northern.’

Northern said it is unable to comment, while Carlisle Support Services has yet to do so.

The RMT has launched a campaign opposing all out-sourcing of railway jobs, and has called for them to be brought back in-house.

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