Union's 24-hour rail strike shuts down Northampton station for TWO DAYS

Train bosses have explained why a 24 hour strike by one rail union has wiped out all services through Northampton for two days.

Workers from the white collar Transport and Salaried Staff Association (TSSA) who are crew and station managers are walking out at noon on Wednesday (December 28) as part of their ongoing row over pay and job security.

Previous TSSA strikes caused only minor disruption compared to action by drivers union Aslef and the RMT but this time London Northwestern Railway has pulled the plug on all trains on Wednesday and Thursday (December 29). A spokesman said the strike impacts the firm’s “control team”, adding “Without enough controllers available to safely move trains around the network unfortunately we are not able to provide any services and passengers should not attempt to travel with us on these dates.”

London Northwestern Railway’s customer experience director, Jonny Wiseman, said: “It is disappointing that our passengers’ journeys are continuing to be affected. Anyone whose train is cancelled as a result of industrial action can claim a full refund from their point of purchase or travel on an alternative date.”

TSSA action is also affecting CrossCountry and GWR services this week, although both operators are continuing to run trains. East Midlands Railway from Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough; and Thameslink trains from Bedford are running normally.

Members of TSSA working for Network Rail voted overwhelmingly to accept a two-year pay deal worth between nine and 11 percent and a guarantee of no redundancies until 2025.

But TSSA’s organising director, Luke Chester, said: “The deal in Network Rail is significantly better than anything which has been proposed by the train operating companies and our fight goes on there.”

More 48-hour walkouts by RMT members will mean severely limited services between London, Northampton and Birmingham on Tuesday (January 3) and Wednesday (January 4) and again on Friday (January 6) and Saturday (January 7). Additionally, the union has announced action short of a strike which will mean fewer trains on New Year’s Day.

Another 24-hour strike by Aslef on Thursday (January 5) will force a shutdown on the Northampton route.