MAINTENANCE staff at Derby train operator East Midlands Trains are set to walk out for the second time this year in a dispute over pay.
Engineers who are members of the Unite union are set to strike from 6am on Sunday to 6am on Saturday, October 4.
The dispute centres on pay increases. In June, Unite members were offered a rise of 2.5%, which was improved to 2.75% in July.
The offer was accepted by 1,000 customer service staff - but Unite went ahead with four days of strike action involving engineers, despite being advised by East Midlands Trains that this would result in the 2.75% offer being withdrawn.
The latest action comes of the back of East Midlands Trains confirming that the engineering staff pay increase will now be the greater of 2.4% - the current rate of inflation - or £550.
Clare Burles, human resources director at East Midlands Trains, said: "Unite's planned action is completely unnecessary.
"It clearly has no thought for the impact on employees' families of losing thousands of pounds in lost wages, particularly a few months before the run-up to Christmas.
"The union action is particularly irresponsible after the very fair pay offers we have made and which other staff have been happy to accept.
"We have been flexible in putting forward further reasonable offers but they have all been rejected by the union.
"More strike action will only reduce the amount of money available to fund a pay increase and hit the people whose interests the union is supposed to put first."
East Midlands Trains said that its door remained open to meet Unite for "sensible talks".
Meanwhile, the rail operator has vowed to continue running services while the strike takes place, with the majority of services running as normal between Derby and London, as well as Derby to Crewe.
A reduced train service or replacement bus service will be introduced on other routes.
A revised timetable will be available to view at eastmidlandstrains.co.uk from Thursday.
