20.09.17
RMT ‘playing politics’ with passengers as strike action planned in October
October is set to be another tough month for commuters across the country as the RMT announced a tranche of strikes across four operators.
Following strikes in September, RMT members will walk out for 24 hours on Tuesday 3 October and Thursday 5 October on Southern, Northern, Merseyrail and Greater Anglia services.
The dispute, which on Southern has now dragged on for more than a year, centres around the move to driver-only operated (DOO) trains, something union representatives say will compromise passenger safety on trains.
The union has also recently threatened to strike on a fifth TOC, East Midlands, although this would be over a separate pay dispute.
RMT leadership said it was “bitterly disappointed” at the TOCs for not coming up with a resolution with them, adding that they had been left with no choice but to call a strike.
“RMT has a clear plan for resolving this dispute but that requires round table talks now to push forwards,” said union general secretary Mick Cash.
“This fiasco cannot be allowed to drag on any longer. The union stands ready and waiting for genuine and meaningful talks with all parties and we are pressing Mr Grayling to get his contractors into line as a matter of urgency.”
Unsurprisingly, TOC bosses reacted to the news with a great deal of exasperation, as they claimed to have tried to press forward with finding a fair deal for union members.
“We are busy trying to build a better city region with an improved railway,” Jan Chaudhry-van der Velde, Merseyrail’s managing director, said.
“The RMT seem to be doing everything in their power to destroy this work. Don’t they want Liverpool to succeed?”
And Richard Allan, Northern’s deputy managing director, explained that Northern was modernising local rail with new and refurbished trains, better stations and faster journeys and, while strike action is disruptive, it remained firmly focused on delivering a better service for our customers.
"RMT continues to reject our offers to talk and we are disappointed that the union has called further strike action on Tuesday 3 and Thursday 5 October,” he continued. “We are still prepared to guarantee jobs and current pay for all our conductors for the next eight years.”
Paul Plummer, chief executive of the Rail Delivery Group, also stated: “What our customers and the whole of Britain needs is one railway, one team working together to deliver better services now and for the long term – not more needless, opportunistic strikes.
“Train companies are working together to keep Britain moving and support the economy while the RMT leadership is playing politics with a vital public service that millions of people rely on every day. The union should call a halt to the strikes and get back to constructive talks.”
Top Image: Victoria Jones PA Wire
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