Avanti says it is assessing how much impact strikes will have but spokesperson says disruption will be ‘significant’

Workers on Avanti West Coast will go on strike on New Year’s Eve after rejecting a deal designed to resolve an ongoing dispute over rest day working.

The dispute is over enhanced pay for rest day working, including voluntary overtime to cover staff absences such as those caused by vacancies, sickness, annual leave and training.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) said its members working as train managers would strike on New Year’s Eve, 2 January and Sundays between 12 January and 25 May.

An RMT spokesperson said: “Our members have resoundingly rejected Avanti’s latest offers in two referendums, and sustained strike action is now the only way to focus management’s minds on reaching a negotiated settlement with the union.”

The RMT said up to 400 of its members were involved in the dispute. They voted by 83% against the suggested deal.

Avanti said it was assessing how the strikes would affect its services and would confirm its plans as soon as possible.

Strikes planned for 22, 23 and 29 December were suspended last week after a suggested agreement was put to a referendum of RMT members.

An Avanti West Coast spokesperson said: “This strike action will cause significant disruption to our customers making journeys on the West Coast Main Line over an extended period.

“We’re disappointed our train managers, who are RMT members, have voted to decline the very reasonable, revised offer made to them to resolve the rest day working dispute and avoid inconveniencing our customers. We remain open to working with the RMT to resolve the dispute.”

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “This is incredibly disappointing news for passengers who would have been hoping to leave strike action in 2024, and we strongly encourage both the RMT and Avanti West Coast to get back around the table and work in good faith to resolve this as quickly as possible.

“As part of our plans to reform the railways, we’re determined to move towards a seven-day working week and end the overreliance on rest day working, giving passengers the certainty and reliability they deserve.”

Speaking in May at an International Workers Day rally, the RMT boss, Mick Lynch, said he did not trust the prime minister, Keir Starmer. “I don’t trust him completely. I know that he’s going to do something, but empty gestures are no good,” he said.

Lynch added: “We’ve had 45 years now of Thatcherism, and that’s what’s causing all our problems. We’ve got embedded in Thatcherism, which is coming home to roost now with all these problems, so I don’t have to trust him, I know that he’s going to be in power and I’ve got to make sure that he does the job that he’s committing to.”