LABOUR’s bumper pay deal for train drivers is set to wreak havoc on Christmas travel, the Transport Secretary has admitted.
Heidi Alexander confessed the three-year deal, which included a hefty back payment, has caused a drop in volunteers for Sunday shifts.
Train services heavily rely on workers stepping in on weekends, but many drivers and crews are now choosing to spend the festive season at home.
According to a statement made to the BBC, there are reports indicating that some drivers and train crew are reconsidering working on Sundays due to a lump sum back payment they received. This change in attitude is different from their previous commitment to working on Sundays.
Ms Alexander insisted this won’t be a problem next year as “the back pay only happens once”.
Rail Minister Lord Hendy is understood to be looking at staffing on the railway before it is brought back into public ownership.
He admitted last week the Government was worried about “staffing of Christmas services”.
The Tories yesterday blasted Labour for cosying up to union barons and leaving Brits in the lurch.
Gareth Bacon, the Shadow Transport Secretary, has criticized Labour for continuously yielding to the demands of their union leaders. He believes that this behavior is detrimental to passengers, leading to disruptions during the Christmas period that are likely to extend into the New Year.
It comes after research showed train passengers have faced delays nearly 15,000 times in the past five years due to issues with junction points.
