Strikes to 'severely affect' Eurostar Christmas services

Security staff set to walk out on December 16, 18, 22 and 23, disrupting Christmas plans for travellers

A Eurostar e320 high-speed train heads towards France through Ashford in Kent. PA

Soraya Ebrahimi

Eurostar security staff are to strike for four days next month in a dispute over pay.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union employed by a private contractor voted 4-1 in favour of industrial action and will walk out on December 16, 18, 22 and 23.

The strike will “severely affect” Eurostar services and travel plans for people just before Christmas, the RMT said.

READ MORE
UK strike dates in full, from rail staff to nurses to airport workers

More than 100 security staff, employed by management company Mitie, are involved in the dispute.

“Eurostar security staff are essential to the running of Eurostar, and it is disgraceful they are not being paid a decent wage," RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said.

“They work long, unsocial hours and a multimillion-pound company like Mitie can easily afford to pay them decently for the essential work they do.

“We do not want to disrupt people’s travel plans but our members need a pay rise, and this is the only way management will listen.

“I urge Mitie and Eurostar to come to a negotiated settlement with RMT as soon as possible.”

Strikes in Britain – in pictures

Members of the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) and the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) are joined by their families on the picket line outside Euston station in London. PA

Barristers on strike outside Liverpool Crown Court. Reuters

Bins overflow and litter piles up on Chambers Street as cleansing workers from the City of Edinburgh Council are on the fourth day of eleven days of strike action. PA

Members of the Unite union on a picket line at one of the entrances to the Port of Felixstowe in Suffolk. PA

BT staff with the CWU (Communication Workers Union) stand on a picket line during a strike outside the BT Tower in London. Reuters

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union on the picket line outside Reading station. PA

Workers at a rally outside Edinburgh City Council chambers as cleansing workers go on strike. PA

A lawyer holds a placard outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as they go on strike in a dispute over pay. AFP

A closed Victoria Underground Station in central London during a transport workers' strike. AP

Mick Lynch, general secretary of the RMT union stands on the picket line outside in Euston, London. AP

Jo Sidhu, chairman of the Criminal Bar Association, speaks during a strike by criminal barristers outside the Old Bailey in London. Reuters

A worker protests outside the entrance to the port at Felixstowe. Reuters

The strikes will coincide with other walkouts at the railways.

RMT members at Network Rail and 14 train operators will strike on December 16, while workers who clean trains and railway stations are striking on December 22 and 23.

“We’re disappointed that RMT has made the decision to undertake industrial action, given we have already offered a significant pay increase and pay negotiations are ongoing," Mitie said.

"We remain open to continuing these discussions.

“In addition, we recently announced a £10 winter support package, designed to help the lowest-paid colleagues across Mitie with the rising cost of living.

“As always, our priority is to ensure that exceptional services are delivered as normal so that passengers are able to continue their journeys with minimal disruption.”

UK nurses to stage walkout over pay row - video

This browser does not support the video element.

Updated: November 30, 2022, 10:43 PM