Talks demand as more strikes called
FURTHER rail strikes could yet be avoided, claim Arriva Rail North – the operator of Northern Rail – saying it has invited the RMT Union to sit down for further negotiations.
More industrial action was announced by RMT on Thursday, August 9, in response to proposed changes to the role of the conductor.
The RMP union said it knows when its reps are being ‘strung along’ in negotiations.
Arriva Rail North said it has called for mediated discussions at ACAS and the calling off the planned strike action.
David Brown, its managing director, said: “Over the last few weeks, further positive talks have taken place to find a resolution to RMT’s ongoing dispute.
“Having invited RMT to continue these talks this week, it is very disappointing the union has announced further strikes on August 25, September 1 and September 8.
“We can only resolve this dispute by working jointly through meaningful talks.
“I am fully committed to finding a joint solution which is why I have invited RMT to these ACAS mediated talks.”
Arriva Rail North is delivering what they call the biggest modernisation plan on the Northern network for a generation.
A spokesman said: “This includes £500m of new trains now under construction, retirement of the Pacer trains, refurbishment of all 243 remaining trains, better stations and more services.”
Mr Brown called for the strike action to be suspended.
“There are many events planned for the Bank Holiday and I hope that the union will consider the many families making plans for the last weekend of the summer holidays.”
The invitation comes less than a week after RMT accused Northern of “making a mockery” of negotiations.
RMT general secretary Mick Cash, upon the announcement of the strike, said: “RMT committed to talks in good faith with Northern but instead of making progress towards a settlement that matches the best practice in the rail industry as negotiated elsewhere the company have opted instead to play and fast and loose making a mockery of the exercise.
“Our reps know when they are being strung along and it’s that attitude that has forced us to announce this next phase of action.
“RMT members on Arriva Rail North have been in dispute for well over a year now in a battle to put public safety before private profit and we are angry and frustrated that a genuine opportunity to reach an agreement has been kicked back by the company.
“German-owned Northern Rail want to run nearly half a million trains a year without a safety-critical guard on board in a move that would wreck both safety and access to services and they should listen to their frontline staff and pull back from that plan immediately.
“RMT recently secured an agreement on Greater Anglia that enshrines the guard guarantee.
“Similar agreements have also been reached in Wales and Scotland.”