Northern rail strike action still going ahead this weekend

Despite Government promises to fund guards on trains - RMT workers will still be striking on Northern Rail services this weekend.

The RMT say the union called for urgent talks with the train operator but did not receive a response meaning that the planned action will go ahead.

It'll affect services across the North East, Teesside and County Durham - places like Middlesbrough, Sunderland, Hartlepool and Chester-le-Street are all serviced by Northern.

Northern will be running 700 hundred services on Saturday but very few will operate after 5pm. The services that do run and other operator’s services are expected to be very busy as the countdown to Christmas continues. By the end of December the operator will have had 19 consecutive Saturdays of RMT strike action.

David Brown, Managing Director at Northern, said: “This targeted action disrupts our customers’ lives. But, as we enter a vital period for businesses, it also damages the economic wellbeing of the north of England.

“This Saturday, we are introducing a new timetable for RMT strike days that will deliver stable and consistent train services for our customers on each strike Saturday in December.

“We have fantastic colleagues who have supported customers by keeping our trains running on each of the RMT strike days.”

The RMT Union set out three objectives to be basis of talks with the train operators but did not received any response from Arriva Rail North therefore the union has confirmed strike action will go ahead.

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said: “RMT made it clear that we needed a formal response from Northern Rail by noon today (30/11/18) to the core principles around the role and responsibilities of the second person on their trains.

“We are angry and frustrated that no such response has been forthcoming and as a result of the company’s failure the action goes ahead tomorrow exactly as planned.

"It has only been the resilience of RMT members and our supporters from the ‎travelling public whose solidarity and determination have been instrumental in getting the focus of the dispute back on to the guarantee of a second person on the train.

“It is deeply disappointing that the company have failed today to meet the union’s call to move the issues forwards.”

Northern Rail is asking its passengers to check before they travel and allow extra time for their journey