Eurostar drivers and on-board staff plan strike

Date: 17/12/2009

Drivers and on-board staff on Eurostar trains are to strike from Friday (December 18th), following the breakdown of talks to avert the action.

It is thought around 70 drivers and 20 on-board staff are taking part in the industrial action, which could disrupt services over Friday and Saturday.

Further strikes are planned from Boxing Day and December 27th if the dispute over pay is not resolved, unions Aslef and the Transport Salaried Staffs
Association have warned.

TSSA leader Gerry Doherty apologised in advance to the inconvenience that maybe caused to those planning shopping trips in Lille and Paris.

However, he suggested passengers' anger "would be better directed at Eurostar, who have been refusing for months to reach a sensible settlement with us".

Since Eurostar has staff in Belgium and France who are not participating in the industrial action, the train service claimed is would be able to run a normal service despite the strike.

Union members make up around 40 per cent of Eurostar's staff.