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RMT confirms triple strike action to set up day of misery for passengers

Union RMT yesterday confirmed that its members will walk out in dispute with three operators across the country on Tuesday 30 May.

Drivers and guards working on Southern, Arriva Rail North and Merseyrail services will strike for 24 hours the day after bank holiday Monday, meaning that commuters are facing what could be a very difficult day for travel.

The dispute concerns operators rolling out driver-only operated (DOO) services that would see the guard removed from the train and would – in the union’s view – compromise safety.

It also follows the union walking out on Northern services at the end of April, as well as holding strikes on Southern at the start of the same month.

Strikes on Southern have become a common sight for passengers, as last month RMT had a protest to mark the one-year anniversary of the dispute.

“We are hugely disappointed that once again the RMT has called a strike, particularly since we put a further reasonable offer to the union today,” said Andy Bindon, HR director at GTR – Southern’s parent company.

“The RMT’s proposals would mean cancelling trains and reducing service levels to our passengers. Our service levels are stabilising at the highest we’ve seen in years and we cannot agree to anything which will jeopardise running trains and the service to our passengers.”

And the Rail Delivery Group said more strike action was sure to be bad news for passengers and the economy generally.

“More attempted RMT strike chaos would be bad for the economy, businesses and passengers who have already been affected by previous efforts to disrupt the Grand National and the Tour de Yorkshire,” said Paul Plummer, chief executive of the RDG.

“A stronger railway needs everyone working together for the long term as we invest to improve journeys and in a stronger, more secure, skilled workforce with more opportunities for everyone.”

Outspoken secretary of the union Mick Cash commented that: “We have met with Southern but there is a massive gap of over 8,000 trains a year that GTR have confirmed will run without an OBS on board. 

“That represents a serious safety and accessibility risk and short of the guarantee of a second safety qualified member of staff on Southern services we have no option but to confirm a further day of strike action.

“It is now down to Southern/GTR, and the contract holders in the government, to face up to their responsibilities and engage in genuine and serious talks that address our issues.”

Northern and Merseyrail

Richard Allan, Northern’s deputy managing director, said it was is frustrating for the TOC and its customers that the RMT had announced further strike action.

“We urge RMT to get back round the table with us for open-minded, meaningful talks on the role they can play in delivering the modern railway that people of the north want and deserve,” he said.

And Jan Chaudhry-van der Velde, Merseyrail’s managing director, said that the organisation wants to “end this dispute as quickly as possible and are always prepared to talk to the trade unions”.

“Over the last two months, we had several meetings with the RMT. In the last one, Merseyrail put forward a number of initiatives, which we were willing to explore through a series of working groups,” explained Chaudhry-van der Velde.

“These included having a second member of staff on trains after 8pm. Unfortunately, the RMT would not talk about these things unless we committed to a second safety critical person on every single train. In other words, it is not us that has turned down the working group, it’s the RMT.”

RMT’s Cash, however, stated that Merseyrail were “disgraceful” in refusing to settle the dispute, stating the operator had adopted a “cynical and hostile stance”.  He also had choice words for Arriva Rail North, who once again said the operator had been “intransigent,” and were totally to blame for the union going ahead with its strike action.

Top Image: Nick Ansell PA Wire

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