Just as corporates finalise holiday-season travel schedules, the RMT union has called walk-outs at long-distance operator CrossCountry on 6, 13, 20 and 27 December. Published at 17:16 GMT on 22 November, the strike notice follows a breakdown in pay and staffing talks. CrossCountry runs more than 300 services daily, linking key business hubs such as Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol and Edinburgh as well as major airports at Birmingham and Southampton.
Although the dates avoid the Christmas and Boxing Day bank-holiday period, the stoppages threaten to disrupt Friday-to-Monday leisure breaks and staff trying to return to base between international assignments. Network Rail has already scheduled engineering works on the West Coast Main Line from 24 December, compounding the risk of nationwide bottlenecks.
![Christmas travel warning: CrossCountry rail strikes announced for four December Saturdays]()
Corporate travel managers are being advised to shift time-sensitive journeys to LNER or Avanti West Coast where possible, authorise domestic flights as a contingency, and brief assignees on likely crowding and seat-reservation issues. Companies with factory shutdowns over Christmas should also check whether relocated staff can reach their families or temporary accommodation.
The industrial dispute highlights the lingering fragility of UK rail staffing arrangements. While Eurostar security staff reached a pay deal last month, RMT has live ballots at several regional operators, raising the possibility of further action into the New Year. Employers should keep an eye on the ACAS conciliation timetable; a breakthrough in talks could still avert one or more of the December strikes.
CrossCountry says a slimmed-down timetable will be published “no later than 1 December” and tickets will be valid on reasonable alternative routes.
Although the dates avoid the Christmas and Boxing Day bank-holiday period, the stoppages threaten to disrupt Friday-to-Monday leisure breaks and staff trying to return to base between international assignments. Network Rail has already scheduled engineering works on the West Coast Main Line from 24 December, compounding the risk of nationwide bottlenecks.
Corporate travel managers are being advised to shift time-sensitive journeys to LNER or Avanti West Coast where possible, authorise domestic flights as a contingency, and brief assignees on likely crowding and seat-reservation issues. Companies with factory shutdowns over Christmas should also check whether relocated staff can reach their families or temporary accommodation.
The industrial dispute highlights the lingering fragility of UK rail staffing arrangements. While Eurostar security staff reached a pay deal last month, RMT has live ballots at several regional operators, raising the possibility of further action into the New Year. Employers should keep an eye on the ACAS conciliation timetable; a breakthrough in talks could still avert one or more of the December strikes.
CrossCountry says a slimmed-down timetable will be published “no later than 1 December” and tickets will be valid on reasonable alternative routes.
