Essex: Station Staff Take Industrial Action

14 January 2014, 00:02

Staff on Greater Anglia's West Anglia route are taking industrial action short of a strike from today in a dispute over the "ripping up'' of agreed procedures.

Members of the Rail Maritime and Transport union will take action, including refusing to operate new flexible working proposals. 

The union has accused the company of trying to "bulldoze through'' the removal of station cleaners' posts and enforce flexible working on remaining staff. 

General secretary Bob Crow said: "RMT has made it clear that the union will not tolerate a situation where Greater Anglia choose to ignore and abuse agreed procedures in an effort to bulldoze through changes that have serious implications for our members and, potentially, the quality of service offered to the travelling public.'' 

Michelle Smart, HR and Safety Assurance Director for Abellio Greater Anglia said: "The RMT has balloted 108 of its members on our West Anglia route and less than half of that number actually voted. 

"We have not 'ripped-up' any agreements as the RMT claims and will continue to take a collaborative approach with the Union in respect of the introduction of more flexible working at stations, which already operates successfully and has been embraced by our colleagues elsewhere in the company and delivers an improved service for our customers."