Train strikes called off ahead of talks
MERSEYRAIL strikes have been suspended following ‘a major breakthrough’.
Nine strikes were planned over the Christmas period as staff were set on staying away from work every Saturday in November and December.
The move would have caused major disruption to the network and affected many Cheshire commuters during the transport company’s most busiest time of the year.
However the strikes have now been suspended as a new offer was brought to The Rail And Maritime Transport Workers union.
The strike announcement came after a long-running dispute surrounding how a new fleet of Merseyrail trains will operate when they arrive on the network from next year onwards.
The row has focused on the role that guards will play on the trains – and how the doors to the new trains will be operated.
Last year it was thought a breakthrough had been found in the ongoing talks after Merseyrail agreed ‘in principle’ to place a second safety-focused member of staff on board the new trains.
Now, the union is set to meet with the Merseyrail management team to finalise the proposal so that it can be presented to guard members to seek their endorsement of the agreement.
Andy Heath, Merseyrail managing director, said: “At no time in our many days of negotiations with the RMT did we ever lose sight of the fact that the new Merseyrail trains will be one of the best metro railway trains in the national rail network.
“These new trains deliver everything that our customers have asked for through the design of a modern interior, safety features that have responded to feedback from a variety of user panels and industry bodies across the UK and of course the sliding step and platform level boarding maximising the accessibility for all our customers.
“I am pleased that after consideration the RMT’s National Executive Committee have endorsed the latest proposal in principal and at the same time have given our customers, shoppers and traders the benefit of the lead up to Christmas being strike free by suspending the planned nine days of strikes.
“We will now progress with the next phase of discussions to finalise an agreement so that the RMT can consult with its guard members before proceeding towards implementation.”