RMT strike action goes ahead on West Midlands Trains

13 November 2019

RMT Press Office:

Rail union RMT said today that strike action 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 goes ahead this weekend exactly as planned as the company continue to resist calls for the safest possible means of operation.

West Midlands Trains Senior Conductor, Senior Conductor Instructor and Train Driver members are instructed to not to book on for any shifts between:

• 00.01 hours until 23.59 hours on Saturday 16th November
• 00.01 hours until 23.59 hours on Saturday 23rd November
• 00.01 hours until 23.59 hours on Saturday 30th November
• 00.01 hours until 23.59 hours on Saturday 7th December
• 00.01 hours until 23.59 hours on Saturday 14th December
• 00.01 hours until 23.59 hours on Saturday 21st December
• 00.01 hours until 23.59 hours on Saturday 28th December

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said;

“RMT strike action on West Midlands Trains goes ahead as planned from this Saturday in the face of the company’s refusal to 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.

“The inevitable and serious disruption to services will be wholly down to the company and their refusal to agree to the safest possible means of operation.

“We 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 will never compromise on the issues of passenger safety and accessibility.

“The union remains available for talks.”

Ends.