Arriva train drivers to strike in new year
Train drivers at Arriva Trains Wales will stage a 24-hour strike in the new year as part of a long-running dispute over pay and conditions.
Members of Aslef will walk out on January 4, the day when many people will be returning to work after the Christmas break.
Union members backed strikes by 4-1 in a ballot, with a turnout of 80 per cent. Aslef accused the company of reneging on a deal aimed at resolving the row. Union members will also ban overtime from December 28.
Aslef's executive committee said in a statement: "The general secretary be instructed to advise the HR director of Arriva Trains Wales that their failure to make an acceptable 2015 pay offer is not acceptable.
"Further, the general secretary be instructed to advise the HR Director, Arriva Trains Wales, that all our driver members employed by Arriva Trains Wales will be withdrawing their labour from 12.01am to 11:59pm on January 4, 2016.
"Further, the general secretary be instructed to advise the HR Director, Arriva Trains Wales, that all our members employed by Arriva Trains Wales will not work non-contractual overtime from 12:01am on December 28 to further notice."
Gareth Thomas, human resources director at ATW, said: "We are disappointed that train driver union members have rejected the current offer of increased pay and improved terms and conditions by supporting a ballot for industrial action. ATW management will do all it can to avert this unnecessary threat of imposed disruption to our customers. We are continuing an open and constructive dialogue with union representatives. Dates for talks have been offered during week commencing December 21, when we hope to resolve this dispute.
"Our immediate focus is to negotiate the soonest possible agreement with the unions regarding train drivers' conditions so that, together, we can keep our promise to our customers."
The company operates trains throughout Shropshire and Mid Wales, on the Cambrian Coast line which runs from Shrewsbury and calls at Welshpool and Newtown en route to the Welsh coast.
The current base salary for a driver is £43,869 which will rise to £44,966 but rail unions say the issue at the heart of the dispute is the unwillingness of ATW to table an adequate pay offer despite unions postponing previous strike action to allow for further meaningful discussions to take place.
