FIRST GREAT WESTERN BALLOT OVER JOBS AND SAFETY

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: june 2015 :: RMTnews 7 FIRST GREAT WESTERN BALLOT OVER JOBS AND SAFETY FGW refuse to give same assurances as East Coast over introduction of new Hitachi fleet on jobs, services and safety A ballot for both strike action and action short of a strike of all First Great Western members is currently underway over the threat to jobs and safety from the introduction of the new Hitachi Inter-City trains. RMT general secretary Mick Cash said that the union had made every effort to secure a series of very basic assurances from FGW over jobs, services and safety as a result of the introduction of the new Hitachi fleet and they had simply been ignored. The union entered into dispute with First Great Western last month over the introduction of Super Express Trains on their franchise. RMT made it clear that the union was seeking the following assurances from management to resolve this matter: • To keep a safety competent Guard on every train • To keep safety critical station Despatch staff • To keep buffet car facilities on every train • To ensure that the maintenance of new rolling stock remains in-house • No job losses. These issues have been raised with the company by union representatives on numerous occasions, however no satisfactory solutions have been proposed by management to resolve this situation. The ballot will close on June 30 and the union remains available for talks and still hopes that management will see sense and take the necessary steps to resolve this dispute. “We had no option but to move to a ballot of all staff for action to force the company to take this issue seriously. “It is frankly ludicrous that East Coast, who are introducing the same trains, have given us the assurances we are seeking but FGW have ignored us and are crashing ahead with the ripping out of buffet cars and the threat to safety-critical station and train staff purely to maximise the profits from new trains bought for them by the British taxpayer. “RMT will be mobilising a public campaign to expose this shabby and profiteering treatment of both passengers and staff alike by a company that already has one of the worst reputations in the industry for milking the rotten rail privatisation racket for every penny they can,” said Mick Cash.