Rail travel through Oakham is set to be completely shut down on Saturday, October 18, as the ongoing industrial dispute between train operator CrossCountry and the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) escalates into a full strike.
The industrial action will result in the cancellation of the entire Birmingham – Leicester – Cambridge/Stansted Airport line, meaning no CrossCountry services will call at Oakham or Stamford throughout the day. This comes as part of wider nationwide disruption to the CrossCountry network, which is expected to run a severely reduced and limited timetable across all its routes.
Why are the Workers Striking?
The strike action by the RMT union is primarily a result of a breakdown in industrial relations and a dispute over pay enhancements for overtime and rest day working, which the union accuses CrossCountry of trying to avoid.
According to RMT, the union and the operator had previously agreed to open talks regarding enhanced pay for all grades of staff when working rest days and Sundays. The union claims that CrossCountry has since refused to negotiate on these enhancements, effectively trying to "wriggle out of agreements and block fair pay" for its members.
The dispute centres on several key issues related to workers’ pay and conditions, including:
Refusal to Negotiate on Overtime and Rest Day Pay: The core of the conflict is the union's allegation that CrossCountry has failed to table proposals for better pay rates for staff across all grades working on rest days and weekends, breaking previous commitments.
Protection of Agreements and Union Rights: The RMT states that the industrial action is necessary to protect negotiated agreements, the future of members' jobs, and the right of the union to represent its members effectively. The union's action is aimed at challenging what it views as the company's "flagrant breach of agreements."
CrossCountry has stated that it is committed to reaching an agreement with the RMT and remains available to continue talks, but the current dispute has led to the full strike action on October 18th, causing significant disruption for passengers, particularly those who rely on weekend services.
Passengers planning to travel on the affected date are strongly advised to seek alternative transport or check the latest information before travelling, as no alternative rail services are being provided on the cancelled route.
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