RMT driver members employed at Arriva Trains Wales have been instructed not to book on for any turns of duty commencing between the hours of 00.01 on the 19th January and 23.59 on the 19th January 2011.
The latest action follows a rock solid strike on the 27th December which had a far greater impact than the company had predicted leading to widespread cancellation of services and a campaign of misinformation by Arrive Trains Wales which left passengers stranded on platforms waiting for trains that never came.
The ballot for action came after negotiations with Arriva Trains Wales were dragged out by the company leaving the patience and goodwill of RMT members exhausted. Arriva Trains Wales drivers are amongst the lowest paid train drivers in the country and they have tolerated this unjust situation for far too long.
As a result, the union had no option but to move to a ballot with the members delivering a vote of over 85% for strike action and even bigger majority for action short of a strike.
RMT is the biggest industrial union representing train drivers in Wales and is the lead railway union.
RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:
“RMT has rejected a paltry offer from the company that would have left our members out of pocket and which was loaded with strings. Our members would have ended up with inferior working conditions for a de facto pay cut. We have had one rock solid strike and yet still the company refuse to see sense and we have no option but to bring our members out for another 24 hours.”"
“Arriva Trains Wales continue to show us in the clearest possible terms that they have no wish to properly reward the hard work and loyalty to the staff and are motivated solely by the drive for bigger profits to line the pockets of the shareholders.”
“With the second day of action now on it is down to Arriva Trains Wales management to get back to the table to seriously negotiate a pay offer which improves the work/life balance of drivers and which properly rewards their staff. Without the hard work and commitment of our members there would be no company profits and it’s high time that Arriva Trains Wales recognised that.”