20.08.15
FGW and RMT in further talks to avert strike
First Great Western (FGW) and the RMT union will resume talks today (20 August) ahead of scheduled strike action for Sunday (23 August) followed by a 72-hour walkout over the bank holiday weekend.
The long-running dispute concerns a “failure to meet core issues impacting staff and passengers” in the introduction of the new fleet of Hitachi inter-city trains, the union says.
Previous talks being described as ‘positive’ by FGW turned out to be fruitless.
The planned strike action follows a 48-hour walkout on 8 July when workers demanded assurances over jobs, which they feared were under threat with the new Hitachi InterCity Express Programme ‘Super Express’ Class 800/1 trains.
The bi-mode fleet is due to enter service on the Great Western Main Line between London and South Wales from 2017.
If talks are fruitless once more, a 24-hour strike will ensue on Sunday with an additional three-day walkout from 29 August, all of which are scheduled around the clock from midnight.
Members who work on maintenance will strike on 29 August and 31 August.