RMT accuses SWR of deceit over agreements on guard guarantee

14 November 2019

RMT Press Office:

Rail union RMT has accused South Western Railway of deceit over agreements that were proposed and then withdrawn by the company over guaranteeing a guard on the train.

The union is set to take 27 days of strike action in December over the fact that management reneged on agreements that had been made in principle and in good faith.

The company are now trying to deny these agreements were ever made in a blatant display of contempt for previous negotiations and the workers involved.

As a result of SWR’s continued failure to move forwards on an agreement RMT members will take action as follows:

We instruct our Guard, Commercial Guards and Driver members to take the following strike action:-

· Not to book on for duty from 00:01 on Monday 2nd December 2019 until 23:59 on Wednesday 11th December
· Not to book on for duty from 00:01 on Friday 13th December until 23:59 on Tuesday 24th December 2019
· Not to book on duty from 00:01 on Friday 27th December 2019 until 23:59 on the 1st January 2020

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:

“The strike action called is well and truly down to SWR’s mismanagement and disingenuous position on the agreement and discussions.

“This dispute could easily be resolved if management started taking discussions seriously. SWR are once again showing their true colours, leading the union to believe we almost had a deal before pulling the rug from under our feet.

“We still have not received anything from the company and they have made no attempt whatsoever to reach an agreement. These strikes could have easily been avoided if the company had stuck to their agreements, corresponded with RMT and offered further discussions.

“I want to congratulate our members on their continued resolve in their fight for safety and the role of the guard on SWR. It is wholly down to the management side that the core issue of the safety critical competencies and the role of the guard has not been agreed.

“The union remains available for talks.”

Ends