Avanti bosses urged to ‘get back round the table’ to avoid strikes, says minister
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The Transport Secretary has called on Avanti West Coast to come back to the negotiating table to find a resolution to the impending New Year's strikes, while standing by the Government's stance on industrial disputes. Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union members have declared a series of strikes on Avanti West Coast in the upcoming months due to disagreements over rest day working, with the initial strikes scheduled for New Year's Eve and January 2.
The union has labelled this action as "the only way to focus management's minds on reaching a negotiated settlement". In contrast, Avanti West Coast maintains that their rejected proposal was "very reasonable". When questioned about the looming strikes on Friday, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander emphasized that it is Avanti's leadership's responsibility to re-engage in talks.
Speaking to Sky News, she said: "What I want to see happen is for the leadership of Avanti West Coast, which is currently a privately owned train operating company, to get back round the table with the RMT to see what can be done to avoid action happening.".
Strikes that were set for the Christmas season have been cancelled. However, the planned new year walkouts have put the Government under scrutiny, especially after it had reached a "no strings" pay agreement with rail unions to halt prolonged industrial unrest.
