RMT union claims solid support for action in the long-running dispute over the role of guards

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Commuters in the north of England have faced long delays on the first of three days of rail strikes taking place this week.

Staff at five train operators were said by the RMT union to be “solidly supporting” its strikes in the long-running dispute over the role of guards.



The union urged Chris Grayling, the transport secretary, to convene a special summit to try to break the deadlock, as its members formed picket lines outside stations across the country.

Guards are striking on Monday, Wednesday and Friday on South Western Railway, Northern, Merseyrail and Greater Anglia, and on Monday on Southern.

Unions argue that moves towards driver-only operations and reducing the responsibilities of guards will ultimately lead to fewer staff, threatening safety and access. Most of the train companies, bar Merseyrail, say they do not plan to cut onboard staff overall.

The disruption to Northern rail services resulted in many service cancellations and in increased road congestion as passengers turned to cars and replacement buses to get to work, frustrating commuters around Greater Manchester and Yorkshire.



Northern said it would run about 1,350 services on strike days, more than half its normal timetable, with most running between 7am and 7pm.



South Western planned to run more than 70% of its normal weekday service of 1,700 trains, with rail replacement buses and tickets accepted on alternative train networks and routes mitigating the impact for some commuters.

Greater Anglia said it planned to run a normal service, with no alterations.

I work for Southern rail: this is why I am striking Read more

Merseyrail will run a reduced service, mostly between 7am and 7pm, with a break during the middle of the day and no trains on the Kirby, Ellesmere Port or Hunt’s Cross lines.

Southern, which was facing its 39th RMT strike on Monday, said it planned to run a normal service on most routes, but advised passengers to check for any last-minute changes before they travel.

Mick Cash, the union’s general secretary, wrote to Grayling calling for talks under an independent chair, to try to resolve the disputes – a move backed by Labour and the TUC.

He said: “It makes no sense at all that we have been able to agree long-term arrangements in Wales and Scotland which secure the guard guarantee and which underpin the basic principles of safety, access and security for the travelling public. If that rail safety guarantee is right for Wales and Scotland then it must be right for the rest of the UK.”

A Department for Transport spokesman said the dispute was between private firms and the RMT, adding: “However, the transport secretary recognises the disruption caused to passengers and has met with union leaders on several occasions, including as recently as December, to help bring an end to the strikes.

“He offered guarantees of employment to members who currently fulfil the role of the second person on the train beyond the length of the franchises – instead the RMT called strikes on five train companies to cause maximum disruption to passengers.

“Nobody is losing their job as a result of driver-controlled operation trains – employees have been guaranteed jobs and salaries for several years.”

Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, renewed calls for Transport for London to be allowed to operate South Western and Southern services within the capital. He said he had reduced days lost to strikes by 65% from Boris Johnson’s time as mayor by meeting unions and taking the concerns of staff seriously.

Khan said the strikes were a sign of government failure, adding: “It is increasingly clear that they simply do not care about the serious impact their failure to resolve these issues is having on the lives of normal people who live or work across London.”