RMT plans day of action on GA services

RMT members will strike on Greater Anglia on May 5, in a dispute over the role of guards.

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said: “A further meeting has been held between Greater Anglia and RMT, and following intense discussions the company tabled their ‘best and final’ proposals.

“These proposals have recently been discussed at a staff sidemeeting with RMT local and company council reps, where it was unanimously agreed that the company’s position was unacceptable.”

GA Managing Director Jamie Burles said: “In recent weeks, we have had constructive talks with RMT officials and discussed at length a proposal which we hoped would result in an agreement with the RMT.

“Unfortunately, the RMT has now decided to discontinue those discussions and announce a strike day.”

Burles said GA’s position remains the same: “We highly value our conductors, we’re keeping them on our trains, but we want them to concentrate on customer service rather than opening and closing doors. We will continue to attempt to talk to the RMT to try to find an acceptable solution.”

Conductors are on 40% of GA services, while the rest are Driver Only Operation.

The company said it will run a full service during the action, using stand-in conductors.