WORKERS at the historic Flying Scotsman railway works in Doncaster are to begin “all-out strike action over abhorrent fire-and-rehire” attacks, their unions announced today.

Unite and RMT said that more than 200 staff of rail maintenance firm Wabtec will walk out on July 19. 

The workers, who maintain and repair rolling stock, have already taken nine days of strike action in recent weeks, accusing bosses of “disgracing” the Yorkshire town’s “proud rail history.”

The US-owned company, which recorded sales totalling £6.43 billion in 2021, is seeking to force workers onto new contracts that will cut their breaks and make them work extra hours with no increase in pay, the unions charged.

They warned that the strike will shut down services for Wabtec clients, including train operators LNER and GB Railfreight, and could have wider knock-on effects on the availability of both passenger and freight vehicles.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham urged management to “step back from these appalling and needless plans,” while her RMT counterpart Mick Lynch condemned the firm’s “dreadful behaviour.”

A Wabtec spokesperson said the firm is "disappointed" with the strike and criticised unions for not putting its latest 8.25 per cent pay deal to members, saying: "We have shared sobering facts with union[s] on the need for flexibility and cost competitiveness and the majority of our employees are clearly in support of this plan."In the end, [the] leadership decided they would rather disregard the best interests of their members, and would not support Wabtec."