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Call for talks to prevent week-long rail strike
Dick Murray09.09.09
Rail bosses today demanded urgent talks with union leaders to prevent a week-long strike on National Express East Anglia.
The strike by 800 train drivers, revealed in final editions of last night's Standard, will cripple services to and from Liverpool Street.
It is due to begin on Monday 21 September and last until Saturday 26 September.
The 150,000 passengers who use NXEA services every day suffered six days of strikes last month in a dispute over pay and conditions.
NXEA increased a pay offer but Aslef, which represents train drivers and is the principal union involved, has turned down the deal.
Andrew Chivers, NXEA managing director, said the union had rejected an offer "which amounts to a salary increase of at least four per cent within a year".
He accused the union of "planning to cause further unnecessary and totally unjustified disruption to our customers".
He said: "We will be asking Aslef for urgent talks to avert any further strike action."
First Capital Connect warned of disruption on Monday with a 24-hour RMT strike on the Bedford to Brighton Thameslink route.
Travellers to Gatwick Airport were warned there will be no overnight services from 10pm on Monday until 5am on Tuesday.
Services on Monday are also expected to be cancelled between Finsbury Park and Moorgate.
There is better news for London Midland users as a repeat of the near total service shutdown on Sunday seems to have been avoided.
Staff only work on Sunday if they volunteer to do so.
When the company withdrew double-time Sunday overtime payment staff decided not to work. The payment has now been restored.
