Workers employed by Abellio at East Midlands Railways are to be balloted for industrial action after the employer refused to make a pay offer to the workforce.

Industrial action ballot

Unite, the UK’s leading union, represents over 140 workers at the company who are based at depots in Derby, Leicester and Nottingham. The workers are employed as cleaners, technicians, shunters, engineers, inspectors, lathe operators, team leaders and supervisors.

The ballot for industrial action will open on Friday 2 September and closes on Friday 16 September. If workers vote for industrial action then stoppages are set to begin this autumn.

No pay offer

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “What on earth are Abellio and the Department for Transport playing at. We are currently in the midst of the worst cost of living crisis in decades and between them they can’t make our members a pay offer?

“Unite is now entirely focussed on defending the jobs, pay and conditions of its members and it will be giving its total support to our members at Abellio during this dispute.”

DfT blamed

Abellio has justified its failure to make an offer as it claims that the Department for Transport (DfT) has not authorised it to make a pay offer to its workers.

Unite regional officer Andy Shaw said: “Members are balloting for industrial action as a last resort due to Abellio’s failure to make our members a pay offer.”

The RMT and TSSA are also involved in the dispute.

ENDS

Notes to editors

For media enquiries ONLY please contact Unite senior communications officer Barckley Sumner on 07802 329235 or 0203 371 2067.

Email: [email protected]

Unite is the UK and Ireland’s leading union fighting to protect and advance jobs, pay and conditions for members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Sharon Graham.