Union leaders are urging the Government to offer more support to Eurostar after revealing that workers are suffering from the stress of dealing with the impact of the virus crisis.
The Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) voiced concerns about the state of the cross-channel rail service, urging the Government to step in with financial help.
In a letter to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, TSSA leader Manuel Cortes outlined the “dire” state of passenger volumes he said were estimated to be just 1% of pre-COVID levels.
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He said: “The situation at Eurostar is severe and Government must provide support to avoid mass redundancies and serious damage to our only rail link to mainland Europe.
“Our members at Eurostar are facing financial hardship and mental health problems as a result of the ongoing uncertainty, threat of redundancy and related stress. With Christmas just around the corner it is a desperate situation.
“We’ve heard some big announcements from Government on ambitious climate targets, but if they’re serious about decarbonising our economy, then Eurostar – the green gateway to Europe – must be supported through the pandemic.”
A Eurostar employee told the union he had found this year particularly hard on his mental health, adding: “I am constantly in fear that we will be made redundant.
“I don’t feel I have any job security and it’s causing genuine upset and distress that I could lose my job with very little notice.”
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