CAMPAIGNING FOR GUARDS

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: april 2018 :: RMTnews 4 R MT members held a week of protest earlier this month at stations across the north over threats to safety, service and accessibility on the second anniversary of German state- owned Arriva taking over the Northern Rail franchise. A further phase of industrial action involving members on South Western Railway also went ahead over Easter in the dispute over safety and the role of the guard. There was further "solid and united" industrial action last month on Southern Rail in Britain's longest running industrial dispute over the removal of guards and the introduction of driver-only operation. RMT members on Northern Rail also took strike action late last month in the dispute over guards and rail safety. The union also wrote to the German transport minister seeking an urgent meeting aimed at breaking the current deadlock. In the letter to Alexander Dobrindt, the German Federal Transport Minister, the union said that the on-going industrial action in Britain would continue and called on him to use his position to seek a solution. “Your help in this matter is vital to avoid the German government being seen as the one prolonging this dispute and jeopardising safety, security and accessibility on UK rail services,” the letter said. The union has pointed out that the move by Arriva to expand driver-only operation would mean nearly half a million trains running annually without a safety critical guard on board. Yet there is nothing in Arriva’s franchise agreement that requires them to axe guards from Northern trains and that the decision was wholly theirs alone. RMT also secured overwhelming votes to continue action in the rail safety disputes on Greater Anglia and South Western Railway after being forced to renew the mandates with both employers under the terms of the new wave of Tory anti-union laws. On Greater Anglia the strike vote was over 80 per cent yes on a turn-out of over 80 per cent and on South Western Railway the turn-out was 63 per cent with a yes vote of 73 per cent. RMT general secretary Mick Cash said that once again members had stood united and renewed the mandate to carry on the fight to put public safety before private profit. CAMPAIGNING FOR GUARDS Doncaster