Rail union withdraws city line strike threat
THE threat of strike action on a key Birmingham rail route has been avoided – meaning relief for thousands of hard-pressed commuters.
Trade union members working for London Midland were balloted last month over possible industrial action after the rail operator introduced external security guards on to its trains.
London Midland operates throughout Birmingham and the West Midlands and runs the key Cross City commuter line from Worcestershire to Staffordshire via New Street.
It said the contractors were introduced to boost the “safety and security” of staff and passengers but trade union RMT claimed they would heighten tensions and have no more powers to remove unruly passengers than London Midland’s own staff.
RMT said its ballot of 523 members had now been called off after it received confirmation from London Midland that it had ceased the use of security contractors on board trains.
The news will be a relief for tens of thousands of passengers who feared a travel nightmare on the horizon.
General secretary Mick Cash said: “This is a massive victory for our members on London Midland who have supported the union 100 per cent throughout this campaign.
“That solidarity has been instrumental in the breakthrough secured. RMT remains eternally vigilant in the ongoing fight to stop the casualisation of rail workers’ jobs and any moves that undermine permanent staffing arrangements. Safety and security on our trains can only be secured by adequate numbers of conductors, directly employed by the company, working as part of professionally trained and equipped team.”
A statement from London Midland said: “We are pleased for our passengers that they will not be faced with unnecessary industrial action by the RMT. We have spent the last ten days in mess rooms and on trains listening to the concerns of our front-line colleagues.
“As a direct result of those conversations, we have decided to review our current arrangements. We all share the same objectives of improving safety and reducing ticketless travel. Our focus now is to work together on how best to achieve this.”