Third operator faces rail strikes over staffing and driver-only trains

Strikes by railway workers over staffing and driveronly trains will spread to a third operator today ahead of another crucial week for the industry.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union launched a three-day walkout on Arriva Rail North on Saturday, which led to the cancellation of more than half of services.

Union members on Merseyrail were on strike on Saturday and will take action again today.

Southern Railway will also 0 RMT’S Mick Cash: Chris Grayling is blocking solution be hit by a strike today, the 33rd time RMT members will have walked out in a dispute over the role of conductors which started more than a year ago.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “That there is no agreement yet points to the continued hand of Transport Secretary Chris Grayling blocking a settlement, with even the government-backed Gibb report into Southern Rail admitting that the Secretary of State is determining the direction of this dispute.”

A Southern spokesman said: “We don’t expect the RMT union’s strike to have any effect on our service on Monday, and we plan to run the amended timetable that’s in place during Aslef’s driver overtime ban.”

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