Union warns of travel disruption

Driver managers plan to ask Aslef drivers not to cross their picket line

Union leaders have warned that a planned strike by train managers could disrupt services across Wales.

The Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) made the warning ahead of its members' plans to picket Arriva Trains Wales (ATW) depots.

The 30 driver managers will picket depots at Cardiff, Chester and Warrington from noon as part of a 24-hour strike in a long-running pay row.

ATW has said the industrial action will not disrupt its services.

The driver managers are aiming to delay services by asking their drivers from the Aslef union at the three depots not to cross their picket line.

The TSSA union introduced a work-to-rule policy on 4 September with the planned strike the latest move in their bid to increase members' pay.

The managers will be running an official picket and their overall aim is to disrupt services." TSSA union

The union, which claims the managers' pay has been eroded over the past few years, said the issue could still be resolved before the strike begins.

"The managers are going to be asking Aslef drivers to support them by not crossing the picket line," said a union spokesman.

"If the drivers do decide to support them then the trains won't leave the depots and services will be disrupted.

"The managers will be running an official picket and their overall aim is to disrupt services."

But ATW is confident its services will not be disrupted by the strike action.

A spokeswoman said: "The proposed industrial action by driver managers on Tuesday, 16 September 2008 will not disrupt Arriva Trains Wales services."