Breakthrough in driver-only dispute


There has been a breakthrough in rail union RMT’s long-running fight against the introduction of driver-only operation. 


Last month, it agreed a joint statement with Merseyrail through conciliation service Acas and reported the rail company had “acknowledged RMT’s clear position that the only way that this industrial dispute will be resolved is by having a second safety-critical person on every train”.


The union also marked the second anniversary of the dispute with a national rally outside Parliament last month. The dispute began on the Southern rail franchise in April 2016. RMT members have also taken strike action on Northern, Great Anglia and South Western Railways, as well as Merseyrail services, to oppose “the assault on jobs, safety, security and accessibility”. 


https://www.rmt.org.uk/news/acas-joint-statement-on-behalf-of-merseyrail-and-rmt

https://www.rmt.org.uk/news/rmt-protest-over-rail-safety-on-wednesday