RMT strike action over safety


Members of the RMT rail union took strike action on Saturdays throughout November in a long-running fight for safety on the Arriva Rail North (ARN or Northern) and South Western Rail (SWR) networks. 


The union said both companies continue to refuse to engage in serious talks around the issue at the heart of both disputes — the safety of the travelling public and the guarantee of a guard on the train to deliver that safety.


General secretary Mick Cash said it was a “national scandal” that while other train operators have been prepared to engage seriously with the union on the crucial issue of a guaranteed second safety-critical member of staff on their services, ARN and SWR “have dragged their heels and made a mockery of the talks process to the point now where they refuse point blank to engage in any meaningful negotiations at all”. 


He said it was “crystal clear that the axing of guards is a cash-driven exercise aimed at shoring up profits”.

https://www.rmt.org.uk/news/rmt-members-strike-again-tomorrow