Strikes continue to affect Northern and GA services

Strikes by RMT members were due to take place on Greater Anglia on June 16 and 23, and on Northern on June 19, 21 and 23 (after this issue of RAIL went to press). On both operators, the dispute is over the role of the guard and Driver Only Operation.

GA planned to run all services as normal, including additional trains to Great Yarmouth on June 16, for the town’s first free air show. Locomotive-hauled trains were planned to run that day, and these are often withdrawn on strike days on the Wherry Branches.

On the GA strike, RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said: “Despite strenuous efforts by RMT reps to reach a negotiated settlement to this dispute, the vital safety role of the guard is still under threat and the extension of DOO remains a serious risk. Nothing that the company has put forward in recent talks resolved this fundamental issue.”

GA argues that all guards are guaranteed a job until the end of the franchise in 2025, but that their role will be to serve the public more.

Meanwhile on Northern, Cash said on June 5 when announcing the action: “We have seen over the past fortnight that Northern is a company which has declared war on its passengers and staff alike.

“RMT will not stand aside while the threat to axe safety-critical guards from Northern services remains central to the company plans.

“This company has reduced the timetable to total chaos, and the union will not allow them to slash the safety culture to ribbons in the same fashion.”