RAIL UNION RMT announced today that members working on National Express East Anglia have voted by a massive nine to one majority in favour of strike action in a dispute over pay, conditions and reorganisation.

RMT will be taking strike action on the following dates. ASLEF have confirmed that their members will be striking on the same days:

00.01 hrs Thursday 30th July to 23.59 hours Friday 31st July

00.01 hrs Thursday 6th August to 23.59 hrs Friday 7th August

00.01 hrs Thursday 13th August to 23.59 hrs Friday 14th August

00.01 hrs Thursday 20th August to 23.59 hrs Friday 21st August

This week, RMT revealed that National Express has made nearly half a billion pounds in profits from their rail operations over the past ten years while sucking in £2.5 billion in subsidies over the same period.

RMT have also issued a call to the government to take urgent and decisive action over National Express as it emerged that not only are the company planning an all out fight to hold onto the East Anglia and c2c franchises, contrary to the cross-default rules, but are also sending signals that they may even fight to retain the East Coast Main line despite the announcement by Lord Adonis two weeks ago that it is to be renationalised.

Bob Crow, RMT general secretary, said today:

“RMT are in no doubt that the failure to make any kind of meaningful pay offer to staff on National Express East Anglia is all about the company trying to milk the franchises that they have left, fatten up their profits and make their staff pay for a crisis which was cooked up in the boardroom by senior managers who have now jumped ship.

“RMT members have shown in this ballot that they are not prepared to be the victims of the National Express franchise chaos and that they are determined to fight for a decent pay rise and for decent working conditions. This company has made half a billion in profits out of our members over the past decade, it’s a scandal that they are offering their staff peanuts in return.”