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RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: june 2015 :: RMTnews 5 T ranspennine Express management sparked strike action by conductor members located at Cleethorpes and Sheffield this month after dismissing a union member following an incident involving a gang of thugs. RMT members will take strike action every Sunday in June and refuse to work overtime on rest days or Saturdays. RMT had identified a perfectly valid vacancy that the member could have been redeployed to but management were not prepared to take any extenuating circumstances into account and the honesty of the individual who now faces the loss of his livelihood. The despatch incident that led to the dismissal involved a gang of youths, including one known to have an ASBO, attempting to ‘surf’ a train on departure. The RMT member spotted this and ceased the despatch process before he had reached the point of giving the train driver the right away signal. He shouted and gesticulated to the youth to move away from the train and started the despatch process again. He was able to give the right away signal to the driver as the youth was clear of the train. Then as the driver was about to move off the youth once again clung on to the train for about 15 yards then jumped off. The member judged that it was safer to allow the youth to jump back off at slow speed rather than pressing the red emergency stop button which would have made an immediate emergency full brake application, possibly throwing the youth off the train. The youth then directed foul and abusive language at the member and spat at him. RMT general secretary Mick Cash said that the victimised member had maintained an unblemished safety and disciplinary record during his ten years of employment. “This dispute is about recognising the circumstances of a case and ensuring that the duty of care to staff facing abuse and dangerous behaviour on the railways is properly recognised,” he said. TRANSPENNINE EXPRESS STAFF STRIKE FOR JUSTICE