Eurostar staff announce Christmas strikes on four dates next month
Eurostar staff are set to walk out for four days in December, putting Christmas plans for thousands of customers at risk.
Security workers on the route will strike on December 16, 18, 22 and 23.
It’s the latest in a raft of industrial action on the network spearheaded by the RMT.
The union said it would ‘severely affect Eurostar services and travel plans for people over the December period’.
It said members earn as little as £10.66 an hour and 81% voted to withdraw labour after rejecting a below inflation pay offer.
Around 100 staff members contracted to the firm Mitie will take part in the strike.
General secretary Mick Lynch said: ‘Eurostar security staff are essential to the running of Eurostar, and it is disgraceful they are not being paid a decent wage.
‘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.’
The strikes will coincide with other walkouts on 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.
Eurostar and Mitie are yet to publicly comment on the announcement.
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