Alstom rail maintenance workers in strike vote
East Midlands Rail maintenance facing disruption as Alstom workers vote on strike following ‘pay cut’ offer
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More than 70 highly skilled workers who perform maintenance of rolling stock will be balloted from today until 4 October.
French-based Alstom’s latest financial report shows it brought in sales of £13.6bn in 2021/22 and made net profits of £233m
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said, “Once again a company making huge profits is offering a pay rise which in reality is a pay cut. Our members will simply not accept that. Unite will defend our members’ jobs, pay and conditions and Alstom’s Derby workers have the union’s full backing.”
Strike action at Alstom’s Etches Park site in Derby would severely disrupt maintenance of East Midlands Rail’s rolling stock, a contract worth £133m. The site was previously operated under Bombardier, which was bought by Alstom in January 2021.
Unite regional officer Andy Shaw said, “The anger amongst our members at Alstom’s Etches Park site over the company’s unacceptable pay offer is such that we have had to ballot for strike action. The company must return to the negotiating table with an offer our members can accept.”
By Ryan Fletcher
