Christmas rail strikes to hit CrossCountry passengers as workers announce walkout
Christmas travel chaos as rail workers set to strike
- Members of the RMT union working for CrossCountry Trains will stage strikes on every Saturday in December (6, 13, 20, and 27).
- The industrial action stems from a dispute over pay and staffing, with the RMT citing the company's failure to honour agreements on overtime, staff resourcing, and wage discrepancies.
- The strikes are expected to axe most or all CrossCountry services, impacting hundreds of thousands of travellers across England, Wales, and Scotland, including Christmas shoppers and football fans.
- RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey stated that CrossCountry's latest proposal was worse than previous offers, leaving members with no choice but to strike over unresolved staffing shortages and unfair pay.
- Shiona Rolfe, managing director at CrossCountry, expressed disappointment, noting the company has made a fair offer and remains ready to continue negotiations to prevent disruption during the busy festive period.