Meanwhile, the strike action on Southern Rail was suspended for today and tomorrow to allow fresh talks in the bitter row over the role of conductors.
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A spokesman from Eurostar, which runs services between the capital and mainland Europe, said the company’s focus has been to seek a joint resolution with unions.
In a long-running dispute workers will strike over two weekends in August totalling seven days.
But he accused the DfT of sabotaging a potential settlement of the dispute at talks with the company through the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) on Friday.
Speaking to Transport Network, bosses at the troubled railway line said that a proposed list of conditions for driver-only operations would have to be accepted by unions and that they would push ahead with the plans despite the risk of more strikes.
For any updates go to www.southernrailway.com for further information.
The industrial action is particularly unwelcome “at a time when Eurostar has been suffering what it calls “challenging” trading conditions” following the European Union referendum and the vote for Brexit, the Financial Times reports.
Bosses at the RMT union announced its Eurostar members will walk out after complaining of employees’ “work-life balance”.
General secretary Mick Cash told members: “The National Executive Committee has had time to consider this matter and have acknowledged that some progress is being made”.
He also said that the union expected the industrial action to have a significant effect on Eurostar rail services, saying that agency workers could not easily replace train managers as they have important security responsibilities. To make sure that passengers will be on their way during the strike days, the company made some small changes to the train schedule.
RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “RMT will not sit back while almost 200 members’ jobs are under threat and while conditions and safety are put at risk”. Passengers on affected services will be offered alternative bookings, it added.
However, Eurostar have said all passengers with reservations will still be able to travel.
The train operator, part of the giant Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) franchise, said it would meet the RMT “any time, any place, anywhere” to end the walkout.
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” This strike has to stop and has to stop now”.
