TSSA is re-balloting Avanti West Coast Station Grades members for strike action

We have notified Avanti West Coast of our intention to re-ballot members in Station Grades within the company.

We have not taken this decision lightly, but without an offer from the company to present to you in a referendum, we feel that we have been left with no choice. The re-ballot is necessary because anti-trade union legislation requires Trade Unions to re-run ballots every six months.

The same anti-trade union laws have forced a second re-ballot as - although 87% of you voted for strike action - the ballot which took place in early December narrowly failed to meet the statutory turnout requirement due to members' ballot papers not arriving by the deadline date.

Please vote “Yes” to strike action and action short of strike action.

The previous mandate for strike action ran out in late December 2022. We remain in negotiations across the rail industry and are fully committed to achieving a negotiated settlement. Progress has been made and we remain hopeful of achieving a settlement to our dispute.

We are still seeking a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies for 2022/23, no unagreed changes to terms and conditions, and a pay increase which reflects the rising cost of living.

But the lack of an offer to place before you means we have no option but to re-ballot members once again for industrial action.

We secured mandates for both strike action and action short of strike when the original ballot was run in June last year; we believe this result, along with those in other train operating companies and Network Rail has forced the government, employers, and their representatives to enter into serious negotions with the TSSA and other unions.

Look out for your ballot paper in the post from Monday 23 January. Your ballot paper must be received by 12noon on Friday 17 February 2023.

Vote “Yes” to strike action and action short of strike action.