New Year commuter chaos as RMT union announces two-day Metro strike

Commuters returning to work and school after the Christmas and New Year break will face more disruption, with the RMT announcing it is staging another two-day Metro walk-out.
The RMT has announced another two-day Metro strikeThe RMT has announced another two-day Metro strike
The RMT has announced another two-day Metro strike

The union has today, Tuesday, December 24, notified operator Nexus of a two-day strike by train crew set for Monday and Tuesday, January 6 and 7.

It follows a stoppage on Friday and Saturday, December 20 and 21.

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If the strike goes ahead it will mean no Metro services system-wide, with passengers warned they need to plan ahead to find other modes of transport.

Nexus, the public body which owns and manages Metro, says RMT members are taking industrial action – including an ongoing overtime ban – after rejecting a 15% pay increase and new rostering arrangements and has urged union leaders to call off the strike and hold further talks, working through conciliation service ACAS if necessary.

Metro Services Director, Chris Carson, repeated the call for the union to return to the negotiating table: “The RMT’s paid officials say they want to negotiate to end this dispute and yet they are calling more hugely disruptive strike action. They need to call the strikes off and get back into talks with Nexus.

“Nexus has contacted ACAS and we are ready to hold talks through that body, if the RMT call off this unnecessary strike action.

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“I am sorry for the impact this dispute is having on working people who use Metro and local businesses. Our passengers face disruption at the start of the first full week back at work after the festive break, and the start of new school and college terms. The union is showing a disregard for the travelling public.

“As a public body which makes no profit we cannot afford to go beyond the 15% pay offer we have made in writing to the RMT, but we are convinced a deal can be done on the outstanding details of new rostering arrangements.

“We had got most of the way there before this dispute started, so let’s finish the job.”

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