RMT General Secretary Mick Cash has urged Northern, South Western Railway, Merseyrail and Govia Thameslink Railway to heed the agreement struck with Greater Anglia on July 19, over the role of guards (RAIL 858).
Union members voted to accept an offer made by GA which guarantees the role of the guard and halts the extension of Driver Only Operation on its services, bringing an end to a long-running dispute that has involved 12 days of industrial action being taken in the last year
RMT remains in dispute with the four other train operating companies over the retention of a second safety-critical member of staff onboard trains, but Cash believes that negotiated settlements could now be reached across the board following the breakthrough with GA.
He said: “The GA agreement shows that we’re serious about doing deals. Now it’s up to other operators to be as serious as we are, which we’ve not seen so far.
“We still have four disputes ongoing over keeping a second safety-critical member of staff on the train, but we’re confident that we’ll get resolutions thanks to the determination of our members.”
On a visit to the Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education on July 30, Shadow Transport Secretary Andy McDonald told RAIL: “I am optimistic because it shows what can be achieved when people sit down and talk, and I’m more confident that we will now see progress made with other operators.
- For the FULL story, read RAIL 859, published on August 15, and available digitally from August 11.
- For the FULL story regarding the SWR dispute, read RAIL 858, available now.
- For the FULL story regarding the GA agreement, read RAIL 858, available now.
- For EXCLUSIVE interviews with the unions, read upcoming editions of RAIL.
Comment as guest
Comments
No comments have been made yet.