XC industrial action from the 26th Sept - 1st Oct

[Mitchell Hurd]

Hello people. Anyone who keeps up to date with trains regularly will probably be aware that from the 26/09/19 to 01/10/19 there's now industrial action. Couldn't get any worse - put it this way, to avoid standing from Oxford to Birmingham New Street or from Birmingham New Street to Leeds I've had no option but to switch to megabus for my trip from Oxford to Leeds on the 29/09/19. After I've spoken to XC tomorrow morning, my refund (tickets cost £40.20 altogether - Advance Singles too) should be sorted in the next 7 to 10 working days.

So I've gone from booking a seat in the Quiet Coach (yes, HST) on the 18:03 from Birmingham to Leeds to not only engineering works messing my reservation up but with industrial action now planned thanks to the RMT to now using megabus for this Oxford to Leeds trip which leaves at 11:25 and gets to Leeds at 16:40 and involves no changes at least.

I'm told Advance tickets can be refunded because of the extensive disruption.

So my advice is if anyone can get refunds for a XC journey that's also can be done with megabus.com then do it if you don't mind the extra long journey - you should find some very cheap deals and you're guaranteed a seat. I've now roughly an extra £22 to spend in Leeds !

XC don't know if HST's will be used on the industrial action days.

 

[Mugby]

I'm not doubting what you say but there's no mention of any industrial action on XC's website.

I'd like to know more about it because it will affect my plans.

 

[Darandio]

I'm not doubting what you say but there's no mention of any industrial action on XC's website.

I'd like to know more about it because it will affect my plans.

https://www.rmt.org.uk/news/rmt-calls-further-industrial-action-on-cross-country/

RAIL UNION RMT today announced further industrial action on Cross Country Trains in a long-running dispute concerning breaches to the collective bargaining agreements and the imposition of changes to company wide agreements without the involvement of this union.

Accordingly, RMT has decided to call further industrial action short of a strike and has instructed members:-

• Not to Work any Rest Days or Non-Contractual Overtime from 23.59 Hours on Thursday 26th September 2019 until 23.59 Hours on Tuesday 1st October 2019.

• Not to Work any Rest Days or Non-Contractual Overtime from 23.59 Hours on Thursday 17th October 2019 until 23.59 Hours on Tuesday 22nd October 2019.

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said;

“Despite our best efforts to get the company to come to their senses, there has regrettably been no further progress on the fundamental issues on which we are in dispute.
"Cross Country Management have shown, and continue to show, a total disregard for RMT members, having held negotiations outside the collective bargaining agreement and having imposed changes to companywide agreements without our involvement.

“Cross Country cannot be allowed to undermine and disregard this union and must be sent a clear message that these scurrilous and underhand practices will not be tolerated.”

Ends

 

[43055]

XC don't know if HST's will be used on the industrial action days.

Previous industrial action days had no HSTs out but almost all services were double voyagers.

 

[Meerkat]

What’s the dispute about?

 

[HamworthyGoods]

but with industrial action now planned thanks to the RMT

The ball is very much in XC’s court to solve this - they have agreed collective bargaining for train manger grades but have decided to ignore this so they only have themselves to blame!

 

[londonmidland]

Cross County haven’t said anything about this so far.

I’m hoping they will soon, if it does happen.

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

Cross County haven’t said anything about this so far.

I’m hoping they will soon, if it does happen.

They told me in a tweet and DM that there's industrial action which is why my refund on the 2 Advance tickets (16:06 from Oxford to Birmingham New Street and the 18:03 from Birmingham New Street to Leeds) has been successful - they were very understanding and apologetic.

 

[221129]

The ball is very much in XC’s court to solve this - they have agreed collective bargaining for train manger grades but have decided to ignore this so they only have themselves to blame!

It affects every member of RMT staff, not just the TMs.

 

[Meerkat]

What’s it all about please?

 

[221129]

What’s it all about please?

Have you tried reading press release posted above?

 

[Meerkat]

It’s not very specific

 

[beeza1]

I was planning on travelling tomorrow, but due to the planned industrial action on XC this weekend I was looking to travel very late today, (not ideal really), on checking the times on the XC website it states the industrial action has been suspended, but a quick check on the RMT website states it will still go ahead, can anyone clarify the situation please as I would much prefer to travel tomorrow morning.
Thanks

 

[lammergeier]

It's off apparently.

 

[221129]

Definitely suspended

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

I'm (and so many people will be) quite furious about the strike being suspended - going through the process of refunding my Oxford to Leeds trip (one of which potentially meant an HST from Birmingham New Street) for the 29/09/19 wasn't only complicated but was pretty stressful.

To now find I've had my tickets refunded and switched to megabus, as a result, for nothing I'm not at all happy about!

There's no apology on XC's Twitter feed.

To get the bus to Oxford from my end of Abingdon, I'm having to leave my house at nearly 9:30 instead of 14:40 so I can avoid standing from Oxford to Birmingham New Street or Birmingham New Street to Leeds or both.

The 11:25 megabus coach from Oxford gets to Leeds at 16:40 if on time which I've saved £20-£22. But the point is I now could have avoided a complicated refund.

I'm quite a good believer in if you make a decision, stick with it. Like with the industrial action - don't keep saying it's happening then it's off then it's on.

I wonder if other operators will still accept passengers XC tickets.

If I'm honest, I'd have a good amount of sympathy for staff who now have to be called in at short notice who are possibly that fed up at being messed about that they're like 'No, sorry, too late now - I've got plans I can't change'.

 

[DarloRich]

I'm quite a good believer in if you make a decision, stick with it. Like with the industrial action - don't keep saying it's happening then it's off then it's on.

the concepts of negotiations and good faith seems to have escaped you! Are you actually saying that if talks make progress and might lead to a settlement of a dispute a strike should go ahead anyway? Is that what you are really advocating? Really?

 

[yorkie]

I'm (and so many people will be) quite furious about the strike being suspended - going through the process of refunding my Oxford to Leeds trip (one of which potentially meant an HST from Birmingham New Street) for the 29/09/19 wasn't only complicated but was pretty stressful.

If it was me I would have waited longer; if the strike was on then I would have used alternative services and either travelled earlier (if my arrival time was crucial to me) or travelled later and claimed delay compensation.

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

the concepts of negotiations and good faith seems to have escaped you! Are you actually saying that if talks make progress and might lead to a settlement of a dispute a strike should go ahead anyway? Is that what you are really advocating? Really?

Being honest, I know my point isn't the best I've come up with. It's not that, XC and the RMT don't know many people's situations. People may have had to put off important plans or meetings etc because of the strike then they'll find out that they didn't need to put off such things, because the strike is suspended, which I feel is worse then having the strike kind of.

 

[221129]

Being honest, I know my point isn't the best I've come up with. It's not that, XC and the RMT don't know many people's situations. People may have had to put off important plans or meetings etc because of the strike then they'll find out that they didn't need to put off such things, because the strike is suspended, which I feel is worse then having the strike kind of.

I'm pretty sure you're in the minority.

 

[Darandio]

There's no apology on XC's Twitter feed.

Good one. You want them to apologise for trying to run a full service.

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

If it was me I would have waited longer; if the strike was on then I would have used alternative services and either travelled earlier (if my arrival time was crucial to me) or travelled later and claimed delay compensation.

That I was considering. But there was no indication that the strike was gonna be suspended. My tickets were like £40 which I would not have been happy at spending that to stand up.

 

[DarloRich]

Being honest, I know my point isn't the best I've come up with. It's not that, XC and the RMT don't know many people's situations. People may have had to put off important plans or meetings etc because of the strike then they'll find out that they didn't need to put off such things, because the strike is suspended, which I feel is worse then having the strike kind of.

I would rather the parties involved sat and talked like mature adults and tried to thrash out a deal ( or perhaps even the chance of deal in exchange for a show of good faith in calling the strike off) than not.

I have to say I think your position here is, erm, confused and very self focused!

That I was considering. But there was no indication that the strike was gonna be suspended. My tickets were like £40 which I would not have been happy at spending that to stand up.

£40? Wow! it costs me that to stand up on the train to London most days!

 

[TH172341]

Good news in regards to this; action for this period of dates now suspended.

 

[Edders23]

well I got a nice £25 job to peterborough BRS this morning courtesy of disrupted trains

 

[221129]

No seat or bike reservations tomorrow will be available tomorrow.