Train maintenance workers to strike over pay

Staff at a train maintenance company are to hold a 24-hour strike in a dispute over pay, a union has said.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union at Arriva TrainCare will walk out on 19 May.

The RMT said the company was not prepared to negotiate pay because it was not the recognised union for its employees.

In a statement Arriva TrainCare described the action as "wholly unnecessary".

The firm is based in Crewe and has sites in Bristol, Gateshead, Cambridge and Eastleigh.

More stories from across Staffordshire and Cheshire

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: "RMT members at Arriva TrainCare delivered a massive 'yes' vote for action and the company should wake up and take notice of the anger amongst their workforce over the pay issue.

"Instead they have ignored their staff and offered an insulting increase that systematically undermines our members' standard of living.

"Our members are entitled to be represented by the union they are members of so we can get on with our job and negotiate decent pay and conditions on their behalf."

Arriva TrainCare said a pay award for employees had been accepted following positive negotiations with Unite - the company's recognised trade union.

"As such there is no dispute over pay, as the RMT suggests, and therefore no grounds to proceed with strike action," a statement said.

"Our priority now is to develop robust plans to ensure our customers can run close to normal services on the affected strike day, and we are confident our contingency planning will achieve this outcome for our customers.

"In the meantime, we urge the RMT to accept the outcome of the approved and recognised collective bargaining arrangements and allow Arriva TrainCare to continue to service its customers and their passengers uninterrupted by needless strike action."