STRIKES of senior conductors have been called by the RMT on East Midlands Railway, in a dispute over pay and hours.

Three 24-hour walkouts are set to be staged on Sundays 16, 23 and 30 May. The last of these would be over a bank holiday weekend.

The union, which said there had been a ‘second well supported industrial action ballot’, said ‘East Midlands Railway have imposed different contracts that include a reduction of £5,500 in the first year of employment and are also rostering additional hours expected to be worked that are explicitly against the terms and conditions.’

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said the union had ‘no choice’.

‘The union remains available for further talks and open to discussions on another safety critical role to assist the Train Manager on these trains.’

Railnews has requested a comment from East Midlands Railway.