03.08.15
First Great Western workers announce four days of strikes
First Great Western (FGW) workers will stage a series of strikes, including over the August bank holiday.
Rail union RMT confirmed today (3 August) further dates in dispute with FGW as the “company continues to fail to meet the core issues impacting on staff and passengers from the introduction of the new fleet of Hitachi inter-city trains”, according to their press release.
The latest action follows a 48-hour strike last month, which led to widespread service disruption.
According to the trade union, the reasons behind this strike remain the same, including lack of assurance over TUPE and job protection for staff on engineering grades, proposed transferral of door operation procedures to the driver instead of the guard, and the proposed removal of buffet facilities from the new AT300 trains.
RMT general secretary, Mick Cash, said: “Despite strenuous efforts by our negotiators we have not been able to secure the kind of progress required in the key areas of jobs, services and safety for us to reach an agreement.
“The fact remains that if it is good enough for East Coast, using the same trains, to meet the very basic assurances sought by this trade union then it is good enough for First Great Western as well.”
Strikes will run all day on Sunday, 23 August and from Saturday, 29 August to the end of Monday, 31 August.
The company has said on Twitter that it is “disappointed” at the strike announcement and that it hopes to resolve the disagreement with the union before it takes place.
(Image c. Nick Ansell, PA Wire)