ARRIVA faced more problems today with union demands for a 40 per cent pay increase for station, ticket office and headquarters staff.

The TSSA union says it wants a "fair deal" for salaried staff, to bring them up to the pay levels enjoyed by similar staff working in other rail companies.

"Not only are Arriva's station and other staff lagging behind the staff in other companies, but they have recently seen some groups of staff within Arriva getting big increases as well," said negotiations officer Steve Coe.

"Arriva doesn't value its station, ticket office and headquarters staff. Yet it is these people who have to deal with the irate passengers who suffer Arriva's appalling train service.

"Traditionally, TSSA members rarely resort to industrial action. But our members have had enough. They want a fair deal.

"If Arriva believe they can exploit our traditionally reasonable and moderate approach to industrial relations, they should think again."

An Arriva spokeswoman said today: "Pay negotiations are a matter between the company, employers and their representatives and it wouldn't be appropriate for us to comment."

The pay claim comes a day after a meeting between Arriva and the Strategic Rail Authority to discuss rail company proposals to cut services in the wake of driver shortages. Arriva said afterwards it had put a number of options to the SRA, involving a range of timetable changes, and another meeting would be held subsequently to discuss these proposals.

Phil Willis, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said: "The passengers from my constituency need certainty.

"There is no room to reduce the service any further and I am therefore alarmed to hear that Arriva are considering this possibility."

Updated: 11:38 Thursday, September 06, 2001