Dispute over safety at train company

The RMT transport union claims that safety is being compromised by the behaviour of management at Arriva Trains Northern.

The union is in dispute with the company over the shelving of regular safety briefings. "Conductors on Arriva Trains Northern usually have a six-monthly safety briefing," said regional organiser Stan Herschel. "But the company's vindictive rest-day working and overtime ban has led to a severe shortage of conductors - and the vast majority are now well overdue a safety briefing." The company has already stopped RMT members attending health and safety courses. Under the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977, companies have a legal duty to give union safety representatives paid time off to attend union safety courses.