Train managers at Avanti West Coast have suspended strike action that would have caused significant disruption over Christmas, after the company submitted a revised offer to union members in a row over rest day working.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) were due to take action on 22, 23 and 29 December, which would have caused major disruption to rail services running between London, Birmingham and Edinburgh.
On Friday, the RMT said the strike would be suspended while train managers vote on the offer in a referendum, which concludes on 17 December.
The union said the offer included “revised and enhanced” rest day working payments and discussions on a new technology agreement.
“We remain in dispute with Avanti as our members vote on the revised offer,” the RMT said.
Avanti had said the strike would mean that services would be extremely limited and had intended to issue a revised timetable from 14 December.
“We are pleased that the RMT have decided to suspend these strikes which would have caused major disruption to our services and this will come as a relief to our customers who were making travel plans over the Christmas period,” said a spokesperson for Avanti. “We remain open to discussion with the RMT and await the outcome of the referendum where train managers can vote on this offer.”
The rail minister Peter Hendy said this week that passengers visiting family and friends over Christmas could have their journeys disrupted by crew shortages, especially on parts of the railway network subject to engineering works.
He told MPs that the government was concerned about staffing at train operators over the festive period.
These shortages were likely to be “exacerbated by the fact that inevitably the closures close parts of the railway and put more pressure on others”, Lord Hendy told parliament’s transport select committee.
Great Britain’s rail network is closed completely each year on Christmas Day, while only a limited service operates on Boxing Day. Some routes are closed for longer over the festive period, as Network Rail carries out engineering work.
