Union leaders' warning to rail giant over redundancies

Published on 12/12/2006 11:52

UNION leaders have vowed to fight any attempt by rail giant GNER to impose redundancies on its staff.

The train operator, which employs around 600 people in the Capital, is reportedly drawing up plans to cut jobs as it tries to meet the terms of a 1.3 billion franchise agreement.

The company, which runs services on the Edinburgh to London east coast line, is said to be considering axing up to five per cent of its workforce.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow today warned this could lead to strike action.

"We urgently need an explanation from GNER about what appears to be a massive betrayal of trust," he said.

"What the company has told the media is completely at odds with the guarantees they gave our reps around the talks table last Wednesday.

"It is shameful that the company seems to have chosen to leak plans to cut jobs to the media before it has had the decency to approach its employees' union.

"RMT has already made it clear that we will resist redundancies, with industrial action if necessary."

The news comes as it was revealed the company is missing revenue targets that underpin its pledge to pay the government 1.3 billion over the next ten years.