Strike Action on South Western Railways. #KeepTheGuardOnTheTrain
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) have walked out between 2 December 2019 until New Year’s Day 2020 on South Western Railways. This is Britain's longest ever rail strike.
RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said: "As long as the company continues to refuse to give assurances on the future operational role of the guard, we will remain in dispute.
"The company’s unremitting failure to give assurances that their new operational model won't move to Driver Controlled Operation – with the role of the guard butchered completely – means the union has been left with no alternative but to call further industrial action."
“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 incoming Tory government have shown whose side they are on. They are contemplating a total ban on transport workers taking strike action. As far as they are concerned effective strike action should be made illegal.
Gareth Murphy of Camden Unite Community Branch posted in support of the railway workers:
“Quick visit to Waterloo to support the striking RMT workers in dispute with SW Trains over safe staffing levels.
“Our members include the elderly, the disabled and the sick. They depend, like the rest of us on a travel network that is safe, reliable and affordable.
“At the moment you couldn't say that the Train Operating Companies are meeting any of these commitments, their shareholders and top management must be the only people who are satisfied with how these companies operate and function.”
