RMT - National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers

07/27/2021 | News release | Distributed by Public on 07/27/2021 05:27

Train Managers to strike on East Midlands Railway

RAIL UNION RMT said that Train Managers on East Midlands Railway will be striking on Sundays in August and September as they escalate industrial action in their ongoing dispute over safety on Class 360 trains.

East Midlands Railway has imposed new working arrangements on the multi-unit 12 carriage Class 360 Trains that the union believes are unsafe with only one Train Manager working on them.

The industrial action will take place as follows:

The National Executive Committee has considered this matter and believes that we have no other alternative than to escalate the dispute and call strike action in the form of not working 12 car trains alone and strike action cross a number Sundays. Therefore, East Midlands Railway Train Managers are instructed to not book on for any shifts that commence between:

• 0001 hours and 2359 hours on Sunday 8th August 2021
• 0001 hours and 2359 hours on Sunday 15th August 2021
• 0001 hours and 2359 hours on Sunday 22nd August 2021
• 0001 hours and 2359 hours on Sunday 29th August 2021
• 0001 hours and 2359 hours on Sunday 5th September 2021
• 0001 hours and 2359 hours on Sunday 12th September 2021
• 0001 hours and 2359 hours on Sunday 19th September 2021
• 0001 hours and 2359 hours on Sunday 26th September 2021

Furthermore, you and your colleagues are instructed to take part in the following strike action in the form of:

• Not to work 12 car trains alone from 0001 Hours on Saturday 7th August 2021 until further notice.

Please Note: The above industrial strike action, is suspended during the Sunday strike action dates above, but will commence again immediately at 0001 hours on the Monday, following the Sunday strike action, and will be suspended again at 2359 on each Saturday, on the eve of the Sunday action.

RMT General Secretary, Mick Lynch, said:

'This dispute is about safety.

'East Midlands Railway has introduced new working arrangements for Class 360 trains without any formal agreement with RMT, the union that represents Train Managers working the service.

'RMT believes that the Class 360 method of working that the company has imposed is not safe and that a second safety critical person, preferably a Train Manager, should be in each portion of the multi-unit trains.

'The union remains available for talks.'