Workers on Eurostar trains that operate across the English Channel are planning seven days of strikes over two weekends in August a peak summer tourist time.
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But, conciliation service Acas has said there would be no strike on Thursday or Friday after Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) agreed to return to negotiations without any preconditions.
The strike on the Southern rail network has been called off for the last two of the five days it was due to run. The company notes that passengers who will be affected by the union’s plans will be notified beforehand.
The RMT, one of Britain’s most militant unions, says train operator Southern wants to extend the use of driver-only operated trains and so reduce the safety role that conductors play.
Members from Southern Rail are now on a five day strike over the role of conductors, and Virgin Trains and East Coast members voted on Tuesday to strike over staffing changes.
David Horne, Virgin Trains managing director on the East Coast, said: “We have worked hard to ensure there are comprehensive contingency plans in place and I want to reassure our customers that the timetable will be unaffected, should any strike go ahead”.
The union’s general secretary Mick Cash said: “RMT will not sit back while almost 200 members’ jobs are under threat and also conditions and safety are put at risk”.
RMT expects the strike to have “a major impact” as “train managers have crucial security responsibilities and can not easily be replaced agency workers”.
STRIKING Southern Rail workers are lobbying the Department of Transport today to demand that the government “lift their blockade on a peace deal”. For our passengers’ sake we truly hope these talks will be productive and bring this long running dispute to an end.
“Our members have every right to have a fair work-life balance that fulfils the operational needs of the company while guaranteeing quality time off for friends and family”, he said.
Mick Cash, RMT general secretary, yesterday said the union had written to Southern calling for talks to get back underway in the ongoing dispute.
“This strike has to stop and has to stop now”.
But the union stressed, “These proposals, including the above guarantees, are subject to ScotRail and the RMT entering into discussion about, and agreeing to, a method of train dispatch for these services”.
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No announcement has yet been made about services on Sunday or Monday.
