47th day of action on Northern to go ahead

1 February 2019

RMT Press Office:

RMT says 47th day of strike action goes ahead on Northern tomorrow as union prepares to lobby Transport for the North

RAIL UNION RMT said today that a 47th day of strike action on Northern Rail goes ahead as planned tomorrow in defence of rail safety and the role of the guard as the union prepares to lobby‎ Transport for the North in Chester next Thursday as follows;

Thursday 7th February

10.30 - 12.00.

Council Chamber, Chester Town Hall, 33 Northgate Street, Chester, CH1 2HQ

‎The union has also called a major public meeting in the city later that afternoon where speakers will include general secretary Mick Cash;

Thursday 7th February

5.00pm - 7.00pm

St Werburgh's Catholic Parish Centre 26 Brook Street, Chester, CH1 3DZ

The union says German-owned Arriva continues to block talks around the guard guarantee which would help ensure safety on the railway, while they milk subsidies and tax-payer funded bail-outs to jack up profits and rip off passengers across the Northern routes.

There is also fresh speculation over Deutsche Bahn's plan to sell off the Arriva outfit as the basket case ARN operation sank to second from bottom in the passenger satisfaction league tables this week.
Instead of looking for a negotiated settlement the company continue to treat their staff and passengers alike with absolute contempt while spewing out a stream of lies designed to obscure their intention to run services wholesale without a safety critical guard on board.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said:
“RMT members will be standing solid again tomorrow for the 47th day in support of a safe and accessible railway for all in the long-running fight to put public safety before private profit.

"It comes in the week that Northern slumped to second bottom in the league tables on passenger satisfaction and speculation ramped up about a fire sale of the Arriva operation by their owner Deutsche Bahn.

"On Thursday we will be lobbying members of Transport for the North over the dispute at their meeting in Chester and we will be setting out the case for the guard and safe, accessible services on Northern trains ‎at a public meeting later that afternoon.

“Now is the time for the company to face up their responsibilities and guarantee a safety-critical guard on every train with the full suite of competencies .

“We thank the public for their support and understanding throughout this dispute over rail safety and access and the union remains ready for genuine and serious talks.”

ENDS