Workers at three rail companies are to launch a fresh wave of strikes in long-running disputes over staffing and driver-only trains.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union at Southern Railway and Arriva Rail North will walk out on Friday September 1 and Monday September 4. Strikes will be held at Merseyrail on September 1, 3 and 4.
The union accused the companies and the Government of pressing ahead with controversial plans to extend driver-only operation.
RMT calls further Southern Rail strike action https://t.co/CtbVG9eYdo
— RMT (@RMTunion) August 18, 2017
RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “RMT is bitterly disappointed that Southern Rail have rejected our call for round-table discussions involving all parties with an interest in resolving this dispute.
“The failure to get those talks moving following our face-to-face meeting with Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has left us no option but to call further action.
“RMT pays tribute to our Southern Rail guards and drivers who have stood firm for well over a year in the fight for rail safety despite outrageous abuse and intimidation from the company. They are a credit to their communities and to the whole trade union movement.
RMT confirms a further two days of strike action on Arriva Rail North in guards' safety dispute https://t.co/8cmqtGZTc4
— RMT (@RMTunion) August 18, 2017
“RMT has a clear plan for resolving this dispute but that requires round-table talks now to push forwards.”
Mr Cash had a meeting with Arriva Rail North on Friday but accused the company of “intransigence”, adding: “The responsibility for the inevitable disruption lies wholly with the company.
“We are angry and frustrated that Arriva continue to fail to face up to the facts and also continue to ignore a perfectly reasonable union proposal to invite the DfT (Department for Transport) to join us in round-table talks aimed at finding a solution.
RMT confirms new phase of strike action on Merseyrail in fight to retain safety-critical Guards https://t.co/AnvRK8TiYW
— RMT (@RMTunion) August 18, 2017
“The public, who support RMT’s campaign for a guarantee of a guard on their trains, will be appalled that Arriva Rail North have failed yet again to offer any kind of progress whatsoever in the talks and have instead opted to try and bulldoze through their plans regardless.”
Mr Cash added: “It is disgraceful that Merseyrail continue to refuse all reasonable attempts by the union to settle this dispute.
“Merseyrail have repeatedly kicked all conciliatory approaches by RMT negotiators back in our faces and made it crystal clear that all that they are interested in is the union signing a surrender document which gives them a free hand to rip apart the safety culture on the railway.”
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