http://themilitant.com/2017/8130/813056.html
The Militant (logo)
Vol. 81/No. 30 August 14, 2017
UK rail workers strike against crew size cuts
LIVERPOOL, England — “I don’t want the guards [conductors] off the
trains,” a woman passing by the Rail, Maritime and Transport union
Merseyrail picket line in Kirkdale here told strikers July 23. “It’s not
safe.”
Merseyrail, Northern Rail, and Southern Rail guards are fighting the
introduction of driver-only-operation on passenger trains. Continuing a
series of strikes, 207 Merseyrail guards walked out July 8-10 and again
on July 23. Some 1,250 RMT guards at Northern Rail also struck July 8-10.
“For Merseytravel this is all about money,” Stuart Holt, RMT Central
North Mersey branch secretary, told the Militant on the picket line July
23. “They’re spending £500 million [$650 million] on new trains and they
want to claw back £5 million by getting rid of safety-critical guards.”
Public transportation company Merseytravel pays Merseyrail to run its
service.
“The support we’ve had locally has been really good,” said Holt. “People
keep bringing us food and drinks. The guy next door cooked us pizzas, a
man stopped by with his burger van and told us to choose whatever we
wanted.”
On Northern Rail the company is refusing to talk to the union about
anything but “meaningful modernization,” boss lingo for its driver-only
plan. “It’s a bit of a stalemate at the moment,” said RMT
North-West/Wales regional council secretary Neil Sharples.
— Caroline Bellamy
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