Merseyrail staff to strike over driver-only trains

Merseyrail staff will go on strike next month after union members voted overwhelming in favour of a walkout over driver only trains

Members of the RMT Union will walkout for 24 hours on March 13th, with staff being told not to book any shifts during that day

81.8% of members voted for strike action with 93.5% backing action short of a strike

RMT General secretary Mick Cash said:

“This ballot result sends out the clearest possible message to Merseyrail, Merseytravel and politicians across the area that RMT is prepared to stand up and fight for public safety and the guard guarantee."

"The company now has the best part of two weeks to sit down with us, address the core issues at the heart of this dispute and negotiate a settlement before the action commences.

“The union’s position on Driver Only Operation is perfectly clear. We will not agree to any introduction of DOO and will fight to retain the safety critical role of the guard and to keep a guard on the train. It is the failure of Merseyrail to give guarantees on those basic principles that has led to the current dispute and the campaign of industrial action".

Merseyrail has said it will respond to the decision and will outline its plans to reduce the impact of the strike action on March 13.

Jan Chaudhry-van der Velde, Merseyrail’s managing director, said:

‘Every industry needs to modernise, otherwise its future is at risk. Urban railways like ours are no different. The advanced technology on the new trains means they will no longer require traditional guards."

"The elected politicians understood this when they authorised the new trains in December – satisfied that the new trains will be safer than the ones they replace. There will be customer service people, cleaners and security people on board, but not traditional guards."

‘The RMT may be intent on blocking even modest modernisation plans such as Driver Controlled Operation (DCO), and watch as other innovations such as driverless cars on our roads overtake railways in the technology stakes."

"But as a railwayman of 28 years, I’m certainly not happy to let this happen, and I would urge the RMT to return to the negotiating table to constructively discuss how we can best re-deploy my existing, experienced and hard-working team of guards during 2020 when the new trains arrive.