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.
She told the BBC: “Some of the things that I’m hearing is that because there was that lump sum, which was a back payment, some drivers and train crew are saying ‘actually, we don’t feel the need to be working on the Sunday in the same way as they would have done previously’.”
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.
Shadow Transport Secretary Gareth Bacon said: “By constantly kowtowing to their union paymasters, Labour are letting passengers down, and causing Christmas misery which will undoubtedly become an unwelcome and persistent feature in 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.
