Avanti West Coast workers to strike

Train managers on Avanti West Coast will strike on 22, 23, and 29 December, in a dispute over rest-day working arrangements.

TMs are being offered lower enhancements for rest day working than workers in other roles.

he dispute is surely a sign of things to come across the industry. Following the conclusion of the national disputes over pay and conditions fought through 2022-3, negotiations over changes to working arrangements have been devolved down to a company-by-company level.

To get the best out of those talks, we need to be prepared to go on the offensive for our own demands, coordinating action across TOCs where possible.

We also need to have one eye on the changes that will come as part of the reorganisation of the industry, as Labour takes franchises back into public ownership as part of Great British Railways. Workers will be in a stronger position going into the negotiations, and potential disputes, that that reorganisation will entail if we fight and win battles with the existing TOCs in the here-and-now.