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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Extra staff to cover rail strike | Extra staff to cover rail strike |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Extra staff are being drafted in to stop disruption on the railways as hundreds of signalling workers begin six days of strike action. | |
| Members of the Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union based in south Wales and the Marches are walking out until Saturday. | Members of the Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union based in south Wales and the Marches are walking out until Saturday. |
| It is in protest at the "imposition" of rosters at a control centre in Cardiff due to open in January. | It is in protest at the "imposition" of rosters at a control centre in Cardiff due to open in January. |
| But Network Rail said train services would run as normal. | But Network Rail said train services would run as normal. |
| It insisted the strike would have a "minimal effect" after their own staff received extra training to fill in for those not working. | It insisted the strike would have a "minimal effect" after their own staff received extra training to fill in for those not working. |
| It said that there would be no changes to services on main south Wales line, along with busy routes to the south Wales valleys, Shrewsbury, Gloucester and mid, west and north Wales. | It said that there would be no changes to services on main south Wales line, along with busy routes to the south Wales valleys, Shrewsbury, Gloucester and mid, west and north Wales. |
| There will be a slightly altered service on the Coryton, city line and Penarth to Rhymney lines on Monday and Tuesday only. | There will be a slightly altered service on the Coryton, city line and Penarth to Rhymney lines on Monday and Tuesday only. |
| This is nothing less than an attempt by management to impose working conditions that will allow them to shove staff around at will Bob Crow, RMT union | This is nothing less than an attempt by management to impose working conditions that will allow them to shove staff around at will Bob Crow, RMT union |
| All services will return to normal on Wednesday while some late night services may be replaced by coaches on the Penarth to Rhymney and Vale of Glamorgan lines. | All services will return to normal on Wednesday while some late night services may be replaced by coaches on the Penarth to Rhymney and Vale of Glamorgan lines. |
| Chris Rayner, route director for Network Rail, said: "We will not allow this unnecessary strike to cause major disruption to passengers. | Chris Rayner, route director for Network Rail, said: "We will not allow this unnecessary strike to cause major disruption to passengers. |
| "We have a tried and tested contingency plan in place. Trained staff will be standing in for strikers, so that passenger services run pretty much as normal. | "We have a tried and tested contingency plan in place. Trained staff will be standing in for strikers, so that passenger services run pretty much as normal. |
| "Safety will not be compromised - either in the arrangements for covering the strike or as part of the proposed roster that enables signallers to work shorter hours." | "Safety will not be compromised - either in the arrangements for covering the strike or as part of the proposed roster that enables signallers to work shorter hours." |
| 'Solid support' | 'Solid support' |
| The railway signalling workers voted 2-1 for the strikes in the ballot. | The railway signalling workers voted 2-1 for the strikes in the ballot. |
| The action is in response to a consultation by Network Rail about changing roster hours to eight hours, which it says will provide more productive hours for employees. | |
| But the RMT said it had "solid support" for the strike ahead of the opening of the new South Wales Control Centre in January. | But the RMT said it had "solid support" for the strike ahead of the opening of the new South Wales Control Centre in January. |
| "This is nothing less than an attempt by management to impose working conditions that will allow them to shove staff around at will and force them to work up to 13 days back to back to cover for vacancies and save Network Rail money. | "This is nothing less than an attempt by management to impose working conditions that will allow them to shove staff around at will and force them to work up to 13 days back to back to cover for vacancies and save Network Rail money. |
| "That goes right to the heart of this dispute," said RMT general secretary Bob Crow. | |
| "RMT maintains that the existing 12-hour roster is tried and tested and that the eight-hour roster that Network Rail are trying to impose at the new South Wales Control Centre when it opens in January will have damaging consequences for both staff and the service. | |
| "Work-life balance arrangements will be wrecked in a drive to make financial cuts." | "Work-life balance arrangements will be wrecked in a drive to make financial cuts." |