Call for meet with German Transport Minister over Northern

On the eve of the next 24 hour phase of strike action on Northern Rail in the dispute over guards and rail safety, RMT has confirmed that it has written to the German transport minister seeking an urgent meeting aimed at breaking the current deadlock.

In the letter to Alexander Dobrindt, the German Federal Transport Minister, RMT General Secretary Mick Cash says:

“My members are worried that the actions in the UK by German state owned rail operator (Arriva Rail North) will continue with the removal of Guards from trains and exacerbate the ongoing industrial action currently taking place and it is therefore only you who could use your position to seek a solution.

Your help in this matter is vital to avoid the German government being seen as the one prolonging this dispute and jeopardising safety, security and accessibility on UK rail services.

UK passengers will become unhappy that their counterparts in Germany are benefitting directly from German state rail profiteering on Northern by removing safety critical staff and at the same time as UK fares are going through the roof.”

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said;

“The dispute over guards and public safety on Northern Rail has now been going on for over a year and it is frankly ludicrous that we have been unable to make any progress in talks with the German state-owned operator Arriva while we have been signing off agreements in Scotland and Wales that underpin the guard guarantee.

“With the next phase of strike action taking place tomorrow. Thursday 29th March, I have written to the German Transport Minister seeking an urgent meeting and calling for their assistance in brokering a solution that protects rail safety in northern Britain. I have met with the British Transport Secretary who has refused to assist us in reaching a resolution and I just hope his German counterpart proves to be more responsive.

“RMT has made it clear that we will leave no stone unturned in achieving a safe and viable solution to the Northern Rail dispute and as our members prepare to take action again tomorrow the union continues to press for the top-level talks required to reach a conclusion that puts public safety before private profit.”

ENDS

Full text of letter below:

Alexander Dobrindt, Federal Minister
Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure
Division L 23
Public Information Service and Visitor Service
Invalidenstr. 44
10115 Berlin

21st March 2017


The RMT represents over 80,000 members in the transport and offshore sector and is the UK’s largest rail union.

I am writing further to our recent lobby on March 13th of your Federal Embassy to the United Kingdom where I had met with Oliver Schramm Head of Department, Economic and Financial Affairs and I agreed with him that it would be beneficial if we could also meet to discuss the matter which is of concern.

My members are worried that the actions in the UK by German state owned rail operator (Arriva Rail North) will continue with the removal of Guards from trains and exacerbate the ongoing industrial action currently taking place and it is therefore only you who could use your position to seek a solution.

Your help in this matter is vital to avoid the German government being seen as the one prolonging this dispute and jeopardising safety, security and accessibility on UK rail services.

UK passengers will become unhappy that their counterparts in Germany are benefitting directly from German state rail profiteering on Northern by removing safety critical staff and at the same time as UK fares are going through the roof.

In addition to the driver, trains currently have a safety critical guard who is always available to protect passengers and act in emergencies such as derailments, evacuation, fires and driver incapacity.

The guard’s training and competencies are all vital for passenger’s security, accessibility and safety.

With 331 of Northern stations unstaffed I am sure you can imagine what it would be like if you were an elderly or infirm, disabled or vulnerable traveller. We are concerned what will happen at an unstaffed station where the only person on a train is the driver.

There is little likelihood that the driver will secure the train and leave the cab so as to assist a passenger. We fear that in future many vulnerable passengers will simply be denied the right to travel. The removal of staff from trains can only increase the likelihood that disabled people will not have the same access to transport as everyone else in the UK can enjoy.

We believe with 23.3% of people across the North East, North West and Yorkshire and Humberside having a disability in 2015/16[1] (as opposed to 21% across the UK), this is an issue that simply will not go away.

We believe to continue in dispute is entirely unnecessary as other companies in Wales, Scotland and England have been able to reach an agreement with the RMT which keeps the guarantee of the guard on the train.

We would urge you therefore to either invite me to Germany or come here to London so we can help get Arriva Rail North round the table in order to reach a similar agreement on its Northern franchise.

Our message to you and the German people is to help protect the old, disabled and vulnerable passengers and ensure their travel and equality rights are protected by keeping the guards on trains in the interest of safety, security and accessibility.

Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you require any further information.

Yours sincerely

Mick Cash
General Secretary

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[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/600465/family-resources-survey-2015-16.pdf page 7