RMT declares dispute on West Midlands Trains over DOO

20 September 2019

RMT Press Office:

RMT declares dispute on West Midlands Trains over Driver Only Operation and safe platform dispatch

Rail union RMT today confirmed that it has declared a dispute on West Midlands Trains over plans by the company to bulldoze through Driver Only Operation and rip apart the safety critical role of the guard at the platform/train interface. Preparations for a ballot of guards for both strike action and action short of a strike are now underway.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said;
"RMT will never compromise on the issues of passenger safety and accessibility, t‎he company know that and they should pull back from their threat to bulldoze through Driver Only Operation and their attack on the safety critical role of the guard at the platform/train interface.

"RMT will not allow the drive for profit to override the core issue of safe and accessible services for all on West Midlands Trains and we stand firm on that very basic principle.

"We are in dispute, we are preparing to ballot and we remain available for talks but it is down to the company to come back to the table with safe and sensible proposals that recognise the anger that their cash-driven plans have sparked ‎amongst our members who deliver the service day in and day out."

Ends.