Gemini Rail workers take to picket line in Milton Keynes over company's handling of complaints

They are currently involved in a longstanding grievance against Gemini over owed back pay that has them potentially thousands of pounds out of pocket, say Unite union.

Gemini repairs and maintains locomotives and passenger carriages for the train operating companies across the UK.

It is based on part of the former Wolverton Railways Works, which was famous for building and repairing many of the nation’s trains for more than 170 years.

Unite representative Kieran French said the company has so far not listened to workers’ pleas over grievance handling, leading to strike action.

He explained: “They continue to ignore us in our disputes. We’ve tried every possible manner to discuss with them and they continue to ignore our pleas, so we’ve come to the point where the only thing they’ll listen to is us coming out on to the actual picket line.

“We’ve recently had a bit of a dispute with the company over the fact they’re not allowing me into these meetings for grievances under a guise of conflict of interest. They’ve refused to acknowledge the fact the union do not recognise it as a conflict of interest.

“We would like we think it’s a reasonable request. All we ask for is that the policy which has been the source of this dispute to be mended or a stipulation to be put in place to stop it from happening again.”

The Citizen is awaiting response from Gemini Rail.